Painting
by grilledjellyfish
Summary: Jack helps Sam paint some walls and gets something he really hadn't expected!
1. Default Chapter

Summary: Jack helps Sam paint some walls and gets something he really hadn't expected!   
Category: Humor, Romance   
Season: future Season   
Pairing: Jack/Sam   
Rating: G   
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA,  
Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment   
purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is   
intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).   
  
Author's notes:  
I want them to get together... no matter how!! If you liked this chapter, please review and tell me to submit more, 'cause there is!!  
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
Knock , knock , knock ...   
  
Jack stared expectantly at the brown wooden door that lead to Sam Carter's house. But nothing  
happened...   
  
Again he brought his fist up to the door and knocked sharply three times. Brows furrowed, he let his gaze wander over the wooden surface, searching for something. What he was looking for, Jack couldn't tell, but fortunately he found the 'something'.   
  
A note.  
  
Nothing big, just enough to write down some shopping things you usually need for the next lunch or for a night out with your friends.   
  
Jack took hold of the paper's rim and ripped it off the door. His teeth gnawed on the inner of his  
cheek, while he was reading the writings on the white note.   
  
'Hey Daniel! Thanks for coming.   
I'm at my neighbour's house. The yellow one to your right.   
See ya!   
Sam'   
  
Doing as the note instructed him to do, Jack turned to his right and stared at the pale yellow house with the small front yard and the yellow flowers beside the porch.   
  
His eyes wandered back to the note, still grasped in his hand, and re-read it once more...   
Welllll... he had promised Daniel to bring her that stuff and he could at least go over there and see what she was up to.   
  
Crumpling the note in his fist, Jack walked down the steps leading to Sam's house and crossed the parking lot to the yellow house. He walked carefully around the flowers in the small garden and ran up the four marbled steps to the front porch and let his gaze wander over the wooden ornaments around the door.   
  
He lifted his fist and was just about to knock, when the door opened and the head of an elderly   
woman peeked around the frame. Her curly hair was white and her reading glasses hung around   
her neck .   
  
"Good morning ma'am, my name is Jack O..."   
"What are you doing hear young man? What have you been doing on the porch of Samantha's house?"   
Irritated, Jack blinked... had she been watching him?   
  
"Well I'm her Commanding Officer and I think she's expecting me!"   
The old lady regarded him for a very long second with a cold stare... Jack stared back...   
  
"Mrs. Coulter? Everything Ok?"  
The muffled voice of his 2IC reached O'Neill's ears and a small smile appeared on his lips.   
  
"Oh yes my dear, but here's a man who says he's your CO."   
"It's alright, he's here to bring me something."   
  
Mrs. Coulter turned and glared in his direction... just for good measures, but Jack just shrugged.  
The old lady opened the door wider and allowed Jack to step inside the corridor.   
  
He immediately recognized the smell of fresh paint and glue and scrunched up his nose.   
"This way Mr. ... she is in my living room." The curiosity grew as Jack entered the large room Mrs. Coulter had lead him into.   
  
And there, in the middle of the room, was Sam Carter.   
Though she wasn't really standing with both feet securely on the floor... she was sitting on a silver  
ladder with one leg on either side of it. Both booted feet rested on a rung and a pot with white paint stood between her thighs on top of the ladder.   
  
She hadn't noticed him yet.   
Her full attention was focused on the large brush in her right hand, with which she was currently   
applying the white dripping paint onto the ceiling above her head... that was covered, just like the rest of her body, in white and light blue blotches.   
  
He grinned stupidly at the sight of his Major.   
"Hey Carter... never realized you were that good in painting!"   
  
Her head spun around in surprise and she nearly lost hold of the brush. A cheeky grin spread out over her face, before she turned back to the brush and placed it in the pot.   
  
Sam then carefully climbed down the shaking ladder and brushed her painted hands on her thighs, trying to get off some of the sticking colour.   
  
"Sir, what are you doing here?"  
"Daniel got some cold and he forced... uhm, asked me to bring you this..." He produced a small brush out of his pocket and handed it over to her waiting palm.   
  
She was eyeing the thing with interest, as if the brush held some unknown mysteries...   
"Thanks Colonel... how's he doing?"  
"He's sneezing, coughing, has a slight fever and has already used every single Kleenex in the state of Colorado."   
  
"Here Mr. O... what was your name?"  
Inwardly, Jack rolled his eyes.   
"O'Neill, Jack O'Neill."  
  
She nodded solemnly as if she was trying to associate his name to some face she would know.   
Finally her lips pursed and she gave him a cup of steaming coffee, before turning and walking out  
of the living room and into the garden behind the house.   
  
"She's really nice, but she's also getting old and a bit eccentric." Sam explained with a smile.  
"So whatcha doing here Carter? New hobby I should know about?"   
Her arms folded across her chest and she shook her head in amusement.   
  
"No, I just promised Mrs. Coulter to paint her living room and to wallpaper her bedroom the next time I got some spare time from work."   
"Need any help?"  
  
His brows furrowed in confusion... where the hell had that come from? He couldn't even remember thinking about offering his help!   
Sam was looking equally perplexed but recovered quickly.   
  
"Actually yes, Sir... Daniel wanted to come over and paint the walls, but he's not available right now and I have to get the room finished today, 'cause tomorrow I have an important appointment, so... ."   
"Alright, no problem! Where's the paint, the brush and the soap?" Sam nodded over to the ladder and he followed her, taking the brush he'd given her some moments ago and dipped it into the paint pot.   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
Haha!   
  
A satisfied smile appeared on his face as Jack examined his work. He had to admit that the paint  
hadn't covered every part of the wall and here and there some spots showed their yellow face (the former colour of the room)... but he had done well.   
  
"Hey Carter, ya finished with your ceilling?"   
"In a few... found a spot that's still a bit too yellow for my liking!"   
  
He turned and frowned... how the hell could there be a colorful part on this ceilling? If Sam was   
applying any more paint, the whiteness would probably be brighter than a white-light-bulb!   
  
"Uhm, Carter... I guess Mrs. C will need sun glasses next time she enters the room!" Sam chuckled in response and eyed him with her paint dotted face.   
  
Jack couldn't help it and smiled... in his opinion, Sam looked like an angel... her beautiful face seemed so childlike and the tousled hair sticking out in all directions gave her an innocent touch.   
  
She looked so adorable!   
  
"Colonel?"  
Jack blinked a few times to get his mind back to the topic and outta the gutter. This was neither the time nor the place to think about how sweet his 2IC looked...   
  
"I think my wall is finished... though I guess you should better take a look at it 'cause it sure as hell isn't as white as yours!"   
  
Shaking her head, Sam climbed down the ladder and wandered over to her waiting CO. His hands were shoved inside his jeans' pockets and he was watching her with his dark chocolate brown eyes that made her knees weak and her heart go...   
  
Stop it!   
Sam pulled the emergency break and instead settled on inspecting the wall with all the attention she could muster at this moment and with the mess in her head.  
  
"I think that spot over there needs some more paint, Sir." He nodded in affirmation and walked over to where Sam had pointed with her brush.   
  
After some carefully placed brush-strokes, he went back to his position beside Sam and waited for further instructions.   
  
"We're finished here Colonel... now I just have to clear the room and get the stuff into the storeroom."   
"I'll help ya with it, Carter..."   
"That's not necessary Sir... you already helped enough today, really... I'll get that finshed and you  
can finally go home and get cleaned up." Sam nodded her head at his white stained shirt.   
  
"It's barely 1800 and I have plenty of time! Come on Carter, let an old kid play with paint!" Sam  
smiled at the whining tone in Jack's voice and just shook her head in mock-defeat.   
  
Together they started removing the plastic covers from the furniture and cleaned their faces and   
hands from the white paint.   
  
After nearly an hour, they had finished their work and stood side by side in the middle of the white living room.   
Standing in the doorway, Mrs. Coulter had her hands clasped together and a bright smile on her lips. Her old eyes shone excitedly as she admired the newly painted walls.   
  
"Oh my dear! Thank you, Sammy... and Mr. O'Neill! You did really good Sammy! " Jack poked her lightly in her ribs and watched as she turned a beautiful shade of red... she hated being called 'Sammy' and moreover was it very embarrassing to be called by this nickname when her CO was standing just some inches away from her .   
  
"Not a problem Mrs. Coulter... is there anything else?"   
"Oh no... but here take this..."   
  
The elderly lady walked out of the room and rounded the corner . When she returned some seconds later she had a chocolate cake in her hands.   
  
"Thanks ma'am, but I really don't think we did it for the money!"   
"Dont be silly young man..." Jack didn't know whether he should love or hate being called   
'young man',"... and take it! I made it just for you two!"   
  
Sam knew when she had to surrender and took the cake with a grateful smile plastered on her lips.   
  
"Thanks..."   
"And now you go over to Sammy's and get cleaned up! I fear the paint will never come off!"   
  
Sam and Jack shared a grin and made their way over to the front door with Mrs. Coulter in tow.  
The old woman opened the door and let them out, waving them good-bye as the couple walked to Sam's house.  
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
"So Carter, I'll better get home or I'll have to take an acid-bath!"   
"But what about the cake Colonel?... How 'bout you go inside and shower here and I'll get ya your spare clothes from the guest room?"   
  
Four brows furrowed, two equally shocked pairs of eyes stared at each other.   
"Uhm, if that's no problem with ya Carter..."   
"No, I wouldn't have offered otherwise!"  
  
Confused Jack watched the floor for some seconds, contemplating the different possibilities.   
"Alright! I'll get finished and you make a coffee!"   
  
Sam smiled and opened the door, pushing it wide open to allow Jack to enter first. The Colonel   
immediately walked down the corridor to the bathroom, while Sam went into the guest room to get his fresh clothes.   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
What the hell was he doing here?   
  
Jack O'Neill stood motionless under the shower, the pouring water massaging his shoulder and back muscles. The soap and shampoo were already gone, but just when he had wanted to turn off the water, it had hit him...   
  
What the hell was he doing here?   
In Carter's house, and under her shower?! He couldn't believe it!   
  
"Colonel?"  
Jack's head shot up and his eyes tried to see through the fogged plexiglass of the shower cubicle.  
Fortunately the door was still closed and Carter was obviously standing outside in the corridor.   
  
"Yeah?"  
"Your things are in the spare room! And you'll find a towel in the wardrobe beside the shower."   
"Thanks!"  
  
Jack listened as Sam walked away from the door, before turning off the water and stepping out of the cubicle. The cool air in the bathroom engulfed him and he began shivering slightly.   
  
Grabbing a large towel and slinging it around his waist, he opened the door and peered around the frame to make sure that no female living being was in close proximity.   
  
He got out of the bathroom and walked silently over to the spare room. When he had entered it, he closed the door behind him with a soft thud and locked it... just in case!   
  
There on the bed were his clothes.  
Jeans, a grey shirt and socks... just good he didn't need new boxers!   
  
He quickly got dressed and exited the room, heading down the hallway to the kitchen. He was actually following the scent of fresh coffee and maybe he could even smell chocolate cake... or he was imaging things.   
  
"Hey Carter! So where's the cake, coffee, spoon and napkin?" Sam watched him curiously and   
handed him a red napkin.   
  
Jack took it and fixed it to the collar of his shirt. Sam eyed him and shook her head in amusement.   
"So where's the cake?"   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
The two soldiers ate in comfortable silence, both too engrossed in eating the delicious cake (that,  
Jack had to admit as soon as the first spoon had vanished in his mouth). He sipped on his cup of  
coffee and watched Sam gulp down her second cup of cocoa.   
  
She had a milk-mustache and Jack nearly suffocated on the hot liquid. A concerned look appeared on Sam's face, but Jack managed to stop coughing and got his breathing back under control.   
  
Without saying a word, he took the red napkin and brought it over the table to Sam's face. Her   
forehead wrinkled in bewilderment as her eyes stayed fixed on the moving napkin... or better the  
hand attached to it.   
  
And then he found his goal...  
  
The napkin made contact with Sam's mouth and her first intention was to move away from him, but for some reason she didn't and instead watched his face with wide eyes.   
  
Jack in the meantime swept the cloth over her lip and wiped off the milk. He immediately pulled his hand away and let it fall (plus the napkin) into his lap.   
  
Sam stared at Jack, Jack stared at Sam.   
  
"Uhm... you had a..." He started gesturing wildly around with his hand, his index finger moving over his lip to make his point clear.   
"Thanks Colonel..." Sam gazed down at the half eaten chocolate cake and poked it with the spoon.   
Didn't move... just what she'd thought...   
  
Jack watched her nervously.  
It was one of these situations he dreaded... when all he wanted to do was run away, screaming.   
It wasn't often these days that he found himself in one of said situations, thanks to Carter's and his newly found self consciousness regarding their... feelings.   
  
After the Za'tarc-incident the two friends had slowly learned to live with what many people on base called 'UST'... but in the last few weeks the moments in which he got painfully aware of this 'UST' became more and more frequently.   
  
"You want another cake?"  
His forehead creased as he regarded her with a blank look.   
  
"Uhm... no thanks... I guess I'd better get going, tomorrow'll be a long and boring day and I need my beauty sleep." He smiled warmly across the table.   
  
Sam nodded reluctantly, the cup with cocoa still grasped in her hands. She   
had to admit that she'd enjoyed the day with him. They had had so much fun painting walls, making jokes and just being themselves... without that unnerving voice in the back of her mind screaming at her to remove her ass from his close proximity.   
  
"Yeah, I think that'd be better... Colonel." Sam added his rank merely as an afterthought.   
Both friends got up from the chairs at the same time and Jack helped her to clean off the table of  
the plates and cups. They didn't speak, the only obvious communication being an occasional smile or grin for the other person in the room.   
  
After having finished their task in the kitchen, Jack and Sam walked over to the front door.   
The time had come to say 'bye'... why the fuck did Jack feel as if he was about to make a very very bad mistake...   
  
Sam was in front of him, her hands working on the lock of the door. Closely after she'd opened it, the cool evening chill entered the inner of her house, engulfing them. Instinctively Sam brought her hand up to her upper arm, rubbing over th goose bumps on her skin.   
  
Jack stepped around her and walked out of the front door, his eyes watching his... uhm, very   
interseting boots. He rather felt than saw Sam's gaze upon his back...which lead to a creepy feeling developing in the pit of his stomache.   
  
Reluctantly Jack moved his eyes away from his black boots and caught Sam's blue piercing eyes as she stared at his face.   
  
The word beautiful sprang to his dizzy mind and unconsciously a soft smile formed on his lips. And even though he could hear that unnerving voice screaming inside his head, ordering him to move his ass away from here, he couldn't help it and kept on staring at her wide blue eyes...   
  
With their gazes locked, Jack didn't really pay any attention to his legs and therefore actually   
didn't or better couldn't know that he was moving... backwards.   
  
Until it was too late...   
  
A loud crashing noise startled both friends out of their staring-contest and Jack instinctively jerked his eyes away from her face and tried to see what had hppened behind him, while he had been staring mindlessly at h...   
  
Oh, a flowerpot! The broken blue pieces lay shattered on the porch. Earth was covering the stone steps and he caught sight of a red blossom...   
  
Jack was still too occupied with the flower that his brain didn't really notice what else was   
happening around and with him... Carter had already analyzed it all with the all-mighty super-computer in her head and had realized that her CO was in the process of falling... backwards.   
  
Her hand left the door frame -which she had been gripping with such a strength that her knuckles  
had turned white-and reached out for him...   
  
Jack felt the contact of her hand with his left upper arm and that she was pulling him forward... in  
her direction... to her body...   
  
Maybe -Sam thought in the fraction of a second as her brain realized what was about to happen- maybe she shouldn't have put that much energy in the movement. But unfortunately she had done it anyway and now she would have to pay...   
  
The forward-motion forced him to take a step away from the street and he crashed -as much as he'd have loved to prevent that from happening- in her chest. His hands tried to mitigate the impact and his hands came up and gripped her shoulders...   
  
The silenec surrounding them was overwhelming.   
In this moment, nothing but the two humans existed... no house, no street, no stargate, no universe, no problems... no regulations...   
  
They were kissing...   
  
Sam couldn't remember how it had happened or who had initiated it, all she knew was that his lips were on hers. She blinked once, before she could feel her eyelids fall close as his hand left her shoulder and wandered down to her hip.   
  
Unconsciously, her hand had also left his upper arm and had crept up to his neck, where she threaded her fingers through the light grey hair at his neck, bringing his head and therefore his lips even closer to her.   
  
Jack pressed his body further into her and their kiss intensified, their lips opening as both their   
tongues demanded entrance to the others mouth...   
  
"Sorry Sammy... but you forgot your cell phone in my living room."   
Sam's eyes snapped open an her hand stopped moving in his hair as she heard the voice of her   
neighbour. She met his brown ones and slowly their lips parted.   
  
Jack's heart was in the process of leaving his chest... what the hell had he been thinking? He could still feel her lips on his, could still taste her... the memory was still too fresh to even consider forgetting it someday.   
  
And by the looks of it, Sam had a similar problem...   
  
"Sammy?"  
Jack watched her blink rapidly, before averting her eyes from him and regarding the petite old lady with a bewildered look.   
  
"Uhm, thanks... thanks for bringing it over." She took the offered device and stared at it... never would she make eye contact again!   
Never!!  
  
"I'll see ya... Major..."  
And then he was gone.   
  
In the corner of her eyes Sam saw her CO run down the steps to his parked truck. And some time later she could hear the engine spring to life...   
  
"He is a nice man, Sammy... very nice."   
All Sam could do was to nod her head in agreement.   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
FINIS !!!   
  
Thanks for reading ! Send feedback !!!! I think about writing a sequel , but well guess what the   
condition is ! 


	2. The new flower pot

Summary: Sam makes a decision that changes Jack's and her life .   
Category: Humor, Romance   
Season: future Season   
Pairing: Jack/Sam   
Rating: G   
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA,  
Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment   
purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).   
  
Author's notes:  
Thanks for all the feedback! Glad you all liked the first part and therefore hope that you'll have   
fun reading this one... drop a review to let me know what you think about it!! Maybe I'll write   
some more?...   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
'Denta fresh, prevents bad odor, plaque and gum inflammation!' Sam pulled a face as she read the label of the tooth paste aloud, while trying not to bite onto the tooth brush in her mouth... not that easy when you consider the amount of foam and saliva in there... Urgh!   
  
"Just bad that it doesn't prevent you from kissing your Commanding Officer... " Sam muttered   
around the thingy in her mouth, before beginning to brush her teeth again.   
  
It was Wednesday, nearly 0700 and she had successfully locked herself up for the last one and   
a half days and had ignored several phone calls... and the problem was that she didn't even know who had tried in vain to call her!   
  
Probably Janet or Cass... she so hoped it had been them!   
Spitting out the last of the foam and rinsing her mouth with some water, Sam finished washing her face and walked out of her bathroom, heading downstairs to the kitchen to grab her stuff.   
  
In some minutes Sam would kick-start her motorbike and drive to Cheyenne mountain, to   
the SGC and to a whole base of problems...   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
"Hey Daniel."   
The young man averted his eyes from the small sculpture in his hands and frowned at seeing his   
friend Jack O'Neill standing in the doorway of his lab... and that at 0830! Had to be a new  
record! Jack usually never headed straight to his office at that time in the morning after they had   
had two days off of work.  
  
"Hey Jack... anything you need?"   
"Nope... just wanted to bug ya a bit."   
  
Now that Jack had made sure Daniel knew about his intentions, the Colonel entered the room fully and grabbed one of the empty chairs beside the large desk.   
  
He sat down heavily and produced a Game Boy out of his BDU pocket.   
'Great', Daniel thought as he heard the first noise leaving the little device from hell! Gone was the  
inspiring silence! How he could translate the tiny writings on the figure now, was a mystery to him!   
  
Daniel closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, exhaled (twice) and opened his eyes as he could   
feel the slight anger dissipating in nothingness... that wasn't the right way to start a new day!   
  
And so he re-assumed his hunched over position, rested his elbows on either side of the sculpture and shoved his glasses back up his nose...   
  
"Daniel?"  
His eyes closed... just for the fraction of a second!   
"Yes, Jack?"  
The second person in the room said nothing for a moment.   
  
"Uhm, nothing... just keep on... ya know, doing whatever it was." Daniel could hear the irritating  
noise of Jack's boots thumping on the linoleum floor... what the hell was Jack doing here? Trying  
to get himself a meeting with Mr. Death?   
  
"Jack?"  
"Yes?"   
  
"Would you please, 'please' stop doing that!"   
He stopped.   
  
'And with the water, life returned to the people of Gon...'   
Daniel stopped translating the rest of the sentence and listened hard... and realized with surprise  
that not only the thumping had stopped, but even the noises of the Game Boy, the impatient tapping of Jack's finger that wasn't occupied with some button on the thingy and the slight noise he made with his tongue when something 'really' important happened on the little screen!   
  
It was actually silent!   
When Daniel looked up to see what had made Jack go all silent, he frowned deeply when he noticed Jack's furrowed brows, the slightly parted lips and the empty expression in his brown eyes... he had conked!   
  
"Jack? Hey, Jack!"  
A blinking fit overcame the Colonel and his forehead relaxed visibly.   
  
"Huh?"  
"Alright, Jack. I will not get back to translating that thing, before you havn't told me what   
the hell is up with ya this morning?... I mean look at you!"   
  
Jack's left brow rose to an unknown height and confusion spread out over his features.   
"What do you mean Danny-boy? Nothing's up with me!"   
  
"Then what are you doing here? Or better why are you doing nothing here?... No fidgeting with my unaffordable artefacts, no none-sense-talking, no bad jokes and you didn't even tell me what you've done yesterday... "   
  
Oh fuck!   
Realization dawned on Daniel and he turned now fully around to face his baffled friend...   
Yesterday! Or better the day before yesterday!   
  
Daniel hadn't even remembered that he had sent Jack to Sam's! His palm made painful contact with his forehead...   
  
"Jack, I'm sorry! God, I was so absorbed in sleeping and coughing that I forgot to call you and ask how it had gone!"   
Jack could feel the temperature rising in the room and he just knew that the tips of his ears had   
decided to take on an unusual shade of red... Shit!   
  
"Well... I, uhm, brought her the brush and then I helped her painting her neighbour's house... or better the living room... and then we ate some chocolate cake..."   
  
Daniel's full attention was now on Jack's (slightly sweaty) face. His chin rested in the palm of  
his right hand and Daniel's brows creased as he watched Jack's desperate attempt to find the right words.   
  
"You ate cake? And then what did you do?"   
"What the hell do you expect me to do? I mean... I helped her clean up the mess in her kitchen and then she walked me to the door to say 'bye'!"   
  
Jack's hand started gesturing wildly around and soon he grabbed the next best thing on Daniel's   
desk (apparently a small statue of a pregnant woman) and moved it in all directions, his eyes   
settling on it. That Jack was nervous just helped to increase Daniel's curiosity even more...   
  
"Jack, there's something you havn't told me yet... and I really need to know it!"   
"Uhm..."   
  
Jack averted his eyes from the very 'very' interesting statue and lifted his gaze to the security   
camera in the far right corner... good they couldn't hear the conversation they were about to   
record!  
  
"Wekissed."  
  
Daniel's brows furrowed... Jack had spoken so quickly and in such a low whisper, that the young archaeologist hadn't been able to grasp the meaning of what Jack had 'said'.   
  
"Sorry... what?" Daniel's head automatically moved some inches forward to Jack and a   
concentrated expression appeared on his face.   
  
"Wekissed!" Jack spoke through gritted teeth, merely hissing the sentence.   
"Jack, open your damn mouth! It's not as if you have any problems with using it!"   
  
"We kissed, dammit!! Now happy?!"   
By the looks of it, Daniel wasn't really happy. The expression on his face was more like a mix of   
sruprise, shock and disbelief...   
  
"Could you please repeat that?"   
Jack took a sheet of paper and a pen and started scribbling down something... after some seconds, Jack handed Daniel the white paper, leant back and watched Daniel closely.   
  
"Holy shit! You did what?... Oh my God! But how... I mean I know how, but why?" Jack's hand played awkwardly with the pen he was still holding and he refused to make eye contact with the man sitting opposite of him.   
  
"Well you see, actually I... it wasn't as if I had made any specific plans! It just... happened!" Daniel was at a loss of words. His eyes roamed over the desk, the walls, the shelfs and finally found Jack's gaze. But before he had time to say something, Jack got up and walked -or more accurately fled- to the door of Daniel's lab.   
  
"What are ya doing now, Jack?"  
Jack's shoulders slumped visibly and his head hung low as he faced the wall opposite of Daniel's   
lab.   
  
After some seconds, he turned back, smiled slightly and said:"I'll buy her a new flower pot."  
With that Jack straightened his body and walked around the corner, heading to his office.   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
"Sam?"   
No... please God, not now!  
  
"Yeah, Janet?"   
"Can I come in or will something explode any time soon?" The delightful tone in Janet's voice made Sam cringe.   
  
"'Course, Jan... " Why the hell is nobody ill, injured or in need of a physical? Right now! Shouldn't be that difficult to get some limp damaged in this facility...   
  
"So... a little bird told me that Colonel O'Neill spent some time with ya the day before yesterday... anything you need to tell your friend?"   
  
Sam was facing away from the petite Doctor and still didn't even think about turning around to   
greet her... not to mention talk about anything related to the last two days! She just kept on staring at the small doo-hickey... wait a sec! Now she was even thinking like the Colonel!   
  
"Let's just assume for a moment that said bird has already told me what has happened and that I'd like to hear it from your point of view..."   
  
"Daniel?"  
"Yep."   
  
"I so hope you still have those Second World War needles you always use on the Colonel." A giggle echoed through the lab and Sam's head lifted a bit to make eye contact with her best friend.   
  
"So, Sam... "   
"We kissed alright? Nothing big, just a small peck... " God, she was a bad liar! The tips of her ears colored in a dark red and Sam started gnawing on her lower lip. Even her hands started fiddling with something she had just found beside her arm... oh a wire!   
  
"So that's why you didn't pick up the phone yesterday, the day before that day and this morning... "   
"Janet, please... it's aready too hard to think about it... I was just in the process of planning my   
suicide... " Sam finished with a loud sigh and let her forehead fall down on her folded arms which  
were resting on the work-bench.   
  
A gentle hand appeared on her back and rubbed across the black shirt in a circular pattern. Janet either didn't care for or just ignored the fact that the simple gesture brought Sam on the verge of crying her eyes out. But the good little officer held them all back and bit back down a sob that threatened to escape her self-control.   
  
"Did you... ya know, confess it?"  
Sam lifted her head with a lopsided smile on her lips... though Janet could see the red rims under her eyes.   
  
"No... you see Jan... I don't s'pose it was necessary... we both know what we feel for each other, but you know what makes it complicated... when we kissed, everything seemed to have come to an absolute standstill! Nothing else existed and it was just so damn perfect... I just stopped functioning in that moment."   
  
Janet was smiling brightly by now and she really wanted to hug Sam... the Colonel would call   
this 'need' probably compulsive-chicken-behaviour.   
  
"And what are you going to do now, Sam?"   
Sam frowned for a moment before smiling briefly." I think I'll buy a new flower pot..."   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
It had taken her quite a while to choose one, but now she was holding the perfect replacement for her, uhm... decayed former flower pot in her hands. It was blue with yellow bees dotting the whole thing in an irregular pattern.   
  
Sam hadn't planted a flower yet, but she would get one in some days.   
Carefully Sam let her fingers run over the smooth surface of the pot and admired the cute, little bees.

She just wanted to take it from the kitchen counter, when a noise from outside caught her attention. Following it, Sam wandered slowly over to the front door of her house. She was wearing pale blue jogging pants, a white spaghetti-top and plain white socks... the right outfit to wrestle down a burglar!  
  
The noise grew louder with every step Sam came nearer the door. With one swift movement (Sam hadn't locked it), she opened her front door and...   
  
"Uhm..."   
...with bewilderment written all over her face, Sam watched as Jack O'Neill crouched on her front porch. He was eyeing her equally shocked, his mouth slightly agape as he probably tried to find a logic explanation for why he was sitting there at 1930!   
  
"Sir, what are you doing here?"  
His answer was a nervous glance down to his hands... which lead Sam to do the same.   
  
In between his hands Jack held a dark blue flower pot and in the middle of the pot was a huge  
smily-face! Despite her surprise Sam started grinning.   
  
"You see, Carter... I, uh, thought that because I've broken yours I'd buy ya a new one, so... "  
"Thanks."   
  
Jack began nodding his head slowly, his eyes casted downwards as if he was avoiding her shy   
smile. When he heard a deep sigh from above him, he couldn't resist anymore and looked up.   
  
There she was, standing in the doorway with her arms folded protectively over her chest. With her outfit she seemed so relaxed and as he looked into her blue eyes, Jack suddenly had the feeling that he was about to do something very very bad...   
  
"You want a beer, Sir?"  
A cheeky grin appeared on his lips as he got up from the floor. Sam didn't miss the brief expression of pain as she heard the creaking of his knees.   
  
Jack followed her inside and closed the door behind him. Sam in the meantime walked back to the kitchen to get two bottles of beer for them. She noticed a shadow moving down the corridor to the living room and allowed her eyes to close for a second as she suddenly realized the impact of the whole situation.   
  
She rested her head against the cool surface of the fridge and sighed deeply.   
He was here!   
  
God dammit... she'd sworn that Jack O'Neill would never ever enter her house while she was still alive!   
  
So much for keeping her word...   
  
"Is there anything I can do, Carter?"  
Sam nearly jumped when she heard the voice coming from directly behind her.   
  
"No... I just got the beer."  
She was still facing the refrigerator when she answered. Sam believed that she coudn't face him   
just yet... she needed another minute to pull herself together.   
  
She was brought out of her revery when Jack placed his flower pot on the kitchen counter. Now  
that he wasn't holding anything, he rested his hand beside her head on the door of the fridge.   
  
Sam bit her lower lip.   
  
"Carter... what happened that day... I just needed to say that I... oh fuck, ya know how good I am when it comes to such things."   
Having heard that, Sam turned around to face him... which appeared to have been a very bad idea, 'cause her CO was leaning against the fridge behind her and was therefore in a very close   
proximity to her body.   
  
This. Was. So. Not. Good.   
  
"Sam I..."  
The mere use of her name made Sam realize what was happening here.   
  
A decision had to be made. Today... right now. They couldn't avoid the whole situation anymore!   
  
The right time had come to face it! Maybe that was a bit too melodramatic, but...   
Taking a deep breath to sooth her tingling nerves, Sam gazed into his dark brown eyes. It had to  
be right... there was no other way!   
  
Carefully Sam allowed her hand to ascend his left forearm. She wasn't intending to scare him away by just jumping him here and there... maybe ravish him and...   
  
Sam blinked to stop the train of thoughts as long as she had some control over her body left...   
A shiver ran down her spine and right into the tips of her toes when she felt a rough hand appear on her hip. Well she had realized something like that would happen when she had first touched his arm and now she had to live with it... what a pity!   
  
Her hand finally reachd his neck and ever so slowly did it pull him down to her head... and never did their eyes separate. They watched each other as if their lives depended on it... as if both were afraid that the second person in the room could disappear in nothingness if they lost eye contact.   
  
And then it happened and Sam couldn't help it and closed her eyes, allowing her mind to drown in the feeling of his soft lips on hers. His hand tightened around her hip and Sam's other hand found it's way up to his chest.   
  
His lips grew more demanding as his body pressed against hers, their mouths opening under the   
growing pressure of their passionate kiss.   
  
And though both tried to prevent it, they had to separate for air. Their breathing was heavy as they gazed into each other's eyes.   
  
"Sam... "  
Her piercing blue eyes stopped him from saying anything else than her name.   
  
And while she was watching his face, trying to memorize every part of it, Sam realized that she  
had done it... had taken the step both Jack and she had dreaded for so long...   
  
She felt his hand leave her hip and grasp her wrist. He then pulled her carefully away from the   
fridge and headed towards the living room. Sam followed him, watching his body as he   
walked them over to the middle of the large room.   
  
When they had reached the couch, Jack sat down, waiting for Sam to do the same. She settled  
down beside him and leaned her head against his shoulder. She had to smile when she felt his arm sneak around her back, holding her securely against him.   
  
She felt so safe right then... how had she survived all these years without this?   
  
His chest heaved as he drew in a heavy breath and his other arm crept up her thigh to come to a halt on her hip.   
  
Sam just wanted to close her eyes and stay in this position for as long as the world outside would allow them, when her eyes fell on the kitchen counter...   
  
Two flower pots were standing there, side by side. A huge smily-face and uncountable little yellow bees covering the blue surfaces... just perfect.   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
FINIS!!!   
Hope you liked it! I had a lot of fun writing it though! If you need a sequel, just feel free to drop a review! I won't bite, really...


	3. Opened doors

Category: Romance, Smarm  
Season: future Season   
Pairing: Jack/Sam   
Rating: PG-13   
Warnings: sexual situations   
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA,  
Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment   
purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is   
intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).   
  
Author's notes:  
I need to say thanks to everybody who's dropped a review!! clearing my throat...THANK YOU!!!   
I hope the third part pleases you all and I maybe you find the time to give me a piece of your mind!!   
Hugs go also to my sis Maren! You go girl!   
And now make sure you're not allergic against loads of shippyness!   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
It was slowly freaking her out!   
  
Why the hell was he watching her? Why couldn't he just wait until they were in her lab or his office? Was it necessary that he kept on staring at her back even during a briefing?   
  
Sam bit the inside of her cheek and flexed the muscles in her shoulders to get the strain out of them. She could really need a massage right now... this whole briefing seemed to go on forever!   
  
Well, it would at least last another twenty minutes, considering the fact that Daniel was frowning   
a lot while talking about that ruin-thingy-whatever. She normally listened to what her friend was   
rambling... uhm, talking about, but today she just couldn't concentrate on anything other than the   
unnerving feeling that somebody -very special- was watching her!   
  
Deliberately!   
  
Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Sam desperately tried to draw her full attention to the screen   
with the large, golden, with ornaments covered... ARGH!   
  
"Major Carter... anything you'd like to add?" At hearing her name leaving General Hammond's  
mouth, Sam averted her eyes from Daniel's cheeky grin (when the hell had that appeared?) and   
concentrated instead on her superior officer.   
  
"No, Sir. I was merely trying to take a better look at the statue."   
He nodded and turned back to the waiting archaeologist... who was indeed grinning cheekily! A   
pointed glare and he re-assumed his position beside the screen and shoved his glasses back up his nose.   
  
Good boy... though she may have to wipe that grin off of his face after the briefing...   
  
Sam could still feel his piercing brown eyes on the back of her neck, watching her, probably   
seeing the slight red patch just below her hairline and smiling -unseen to her- one of his boyish,   
barely visible grins... the ones she was officially addicted to.   
  
"Alright people, if there's nothing to add then you're dismissed."   
The word 'dismissed' functioned as some sort of bell, forcing Sam out of her dream world and  
bringing her mind back to the situation around her. She rose to her full height and waited until the  
General had left the room.   
  
"This was 'so' interesting, Daniel! And I think Carter could help ya with that problem... what was it called, Carter?" He frowned as if he really tried hard to remember whatever it was... she was fairly sure he knew she could kill with her bare hands.   
  
"You wanne grab something to eat, Sam?"   
Thanks Daniel! Maybe she wouldn't punish him for that stunt earlier in the briefing at all.   
  
"Yeah, I'll see you there. Just have to finish an experiment in my lab."   
"Alright."   
  
Turning to the door, Daniel left with Teal'c in tow, heading to the commissary. Sam decided that   
the best way to make Jack O'Neill suffer for what he'd done to her, was to ignore him and just  
walked away.  
  
"Cart... Sam?"  
He'd called her by her first name in public! No she would not grin, she would not...   
  
Jack really loved her grin... it was so damn intoxicating and made him react likewise.He took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. For a second he saw shock on her face, but before she could say anything, Jack's hand left hers and fell beside his leg.   
  
Sam kept on staring at his hand, before she lifted her gaze and looked in his eyes...   
they were gleaming with mischief.   
  
"You wanne get something to eat tonight? We could order Chinese or Italian or..."   
"Yeah... that'd be great."   
  
One corner of his mouth lifted to a lopsided grin and he walked over to the door, waiting for her to follow him outside. Sam shook her head slightly... she still couldn't believe what was happening here... it was still too dream-like to make her realize that it was all real, that the last two days hadn't been an illusion or some weird version of an alternate reality...   
  
They walked down the corridor mostly in silence. Sam kept her eyes on the floor and Jack decided that the wall ahead was just too damn interesting to just look away.   
  
Yes, the floor was grey, and there was this red line that would now lead around the corner and  
then...   
  
There!... Alright, Sam... take a deep breath and relax... in and out...   
There it was again and it made her shiver every time it happened... every time his hand 'accidently' brushed against hers. The contact was barely there and nobody would have attributed a deeper meaning to it, but well, Sam wasn't 'nobody' and so a jolt of... something ran through her entire body with every touch...   
  
Finally the couple reached the elevators and Sam pressed the button. The red light flickered to   
life and now all they had to do was wait for the thingy to arrive, pick them up and get them to the floor where her lab was.   
  
He did it again, but this time Sam caught his eyes and watched him intently. But he was just staring back... merely returning the gaze!   
  
"Hey Sam!... Colonel..."   
Hey! There was no reason why Doc Fraiser had to call him with that disdainful tone of voice!   
  
"You having some time for me, Sam? There's something I should really talk about with you... " A frown appeared on Jack's forehead as he watched the petite Doctot grab Sam's arm and turn her around so that the Major was facing away from him.   
  
Janet's eyes found his and challenged him to say anything... he could swear the word 'needle'   
flashed through her eyes... very scary!   
  
"Uhm, yes. Let's say I come over to your office in two hours? I already promised Daniel to eat   
something with him."   
"That's OK with me... see ya then Sam... Colonel."   
  
Jack watched the other woman walk away from them, heading in the direction of the General's   
office... very strange indeed! And as he turned back to Sam, he found her staring at him!   
  
"What?"  
"Nothin'."   
  
The elevator doors opened and a young man left the cubicle, walking past the two officers and   
running down the corridor full speed.   
  
Sam entered first and pressed the button to the floor of her lab, while Jack followed just  
behind her. And while he headed to the back of the elevator, his hand brushed against hers and as he waited for the shiver to run down Sam's body, a smile covered his lips.   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
"Janet, I have a big huge honkin' problem."   
'What a way to greet your best friend!' Janet thought as she saw Sam enter her office and close   
the door behind her. Her blue eyes seemed troubled as she held eye contact with the Doc.   
  
"Just one?"  
"Haha... I mean it... what am I supposed to do now? I guess I dreaded this moment as soon as we first... ya know, when we... " Janet nodded enthusiastically to encourage Sam to continue.  
  
"This... thing is going to a whole new plane!"   
"You know that there aren't that many possibilities, Sam... you have taken the first step, now take the next."   
  
Sam sighed and shook her head... as if she hadn't already realized that! The problem was to decide which one to take!   
  
When she'd kissed him or the other way round, hell, when they'd kissed, Sam had already played every possible scenarios through her mind, had drawn up a list with pros and cons for them all and had come to the conclusion that she didn't know what to do now!   
  
Kissing your CO was one thing, but retiring because you love him was something, Sam had to think about more seriously and clearly. And not only she...   
  
Sam was pretty sure that she wasn't the only one who had such thoughts! Jack sure as hell had the same train rushing through his head and giving him one hell of a headache as well! He was a very reasonable man and very intelligent... not that he'd ever admit that!   
  
"I'll have to discuss it with him."  
"Yeah, you have... and do it soon, Sam. You're not the only one who noticed the increasing number of looks he gives you." Janet smiled gently and returned her attention to the sheets of paper on her desk.   
  
The last thing she heard before Sam left was a loud sigh.   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
Sam loved his house.   
It was so nice. Not just the design, but also the furniture, the plants, the garden and especially   
the scent.   
  
His scent...   
  
Closing her eyes, Sam inhaled deeply and smiled into the silence of the room. Did she mention that she loved his house... well she may love the person living here more, but that came with it.   
  
"Sam... just feel free to do whatever you want to... my home is all yours." The voice of Jack   
O'Neill echoed through the rooms, and Sam followed his orders and walked over to the large   
window of his living room. She liked the garden behind his house... a lot of good old memories were connected to them.   
  
Casually her gaze wandered to a shelf beside the window. Some books and photos stood  
on top of it and being the nosy woman Sam has always been, she made her way to the shelf.   
  
Unfolding her arms from around her chest, Sam took one of the photos and allowed her thumb to gently rub over the face of her CO... he was smiling while Daniel tried in vain to set up a folding chair on his veranda.   
  
Sam remembered that day and chuckled.   
  
"I love this one the most."  
Sam turned at hearing his voice.   
  
He was holding a photo in a silver frame in his right hand out to her and she took it, never stopping to look at his face.   
  
It was a picture of her.  
She couldn't recall the day it had been taken, but she'd obviously had quite some fun. It seemed as if she hadn't known that somebody had taken it in the first place.   
  
"You were so beautiful... not that you're now not, but then you just seemed to glow in the sun and I just had to, ya know..." He trailed off, apparently not able to continue as he didn't know what to say.   
  
Sam shook her head and walked back to the door where he was now standing. Her arms came  
around his neck and she kissed him lightly on his cheek then wandered lower to his neck and   
nibbled it carefully.   
  
Jack sighed in contentment and brought his hands around her body, pulling her against him and   
burrowing his face in the crotch of her neck. He inhaled deeply... he loved her scent.   
  
"Jack..."  
"Hmm?"   
Sam took a deep breath and squeezed him tightly against her chest.   
  
"I love you."   
  
It seemed as if he'd stopped breathing... or better had ceased to live! They stayed unmoving for   
another moment, before Sam thought she couldn't take it any longer. She needed to see his face!  
Right now!   
  
Carefully Sam pulled away from his embrace. Her hands held onto his forearms and she tried to  
catch the blank expression on his face.   
  
For a moment Sam had the feeling to run away, crying her eyes out and hiding in a deep, black hole somewhere on another planet... why wasn't he saying something?   
Anything!   
  
That Jack had a huge problem restraining his first instinct of jumping up and down and yelling  
incoherent things, Sam couldn't know by the looks of his slumped head. Jack was neither smiling  
nor glaring... not even the slightest indication of shock was visible.   
  
"You don't know for how long I've been waiting to hear you say those words."   
And suddenly she was back in his arms and was fighting back the tears. Jack held her so tightly   
against him that she feared to suffocate. But Sam just ignored the lack of oxygen and squeezed   
him right back.  
  
"Thanks Sam..."  
Jack kissed her tenderly on her quivering lips and rested his forehead against hers, his nose  
bumping against her slightly red one.   
  
"I love you, too, Sam... I'll never leave you again." He merely whispered the words.   
Jack gazed deeply into her bright eyes and couldn't tear them away from the sparkling blue, even  
if a Goa'uld had entered his house at that moment with his staff weapon aimed at him.   
  
Sam smiled, one of her mega watt ones and watched as Jack's features transformed into a   
face-splitting smile and his eyes appeared to be even browner than before. Still smiling, Sam  
brought her lips up to his and kissed him passionately.   
  
Jack reacted immediately, not missing a heartbeat and wound his arms around her body, bringing her closer to him. Her hands roamed over his back and chest as both tried desperately to get more and more of each other.   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
'He loves me'... 'He really loves me'... 'Jack O'Neill loves Sam Carter'...   
Her eyes were still closed, but she was really tempted to open them and watch his sleeping body  
laying nearly motionless beside her.   
  
His chest heaved and the light grey hair tickled her cheek, which made Sam smile lazily... she really needed to see him.   
  
Slowly she opened her eyes, heavy lids revealing the gloomy bedroom of the man beside her. Again his chest rose... and fell. In and out... in and out. Did he realize how soothing his breathing was?   
  
Sam moved her head slightly so that she was able to see his face from where she was resting her  
cheek on his chest. A bright smile appeared on her lips as she saw his peaceful face just above   
her. His eyes were closed, but she knew that in a few moments he would be wide awake... a soldier never slept long when somebody was watching him!   
  
"Sam... "  
"Yes?" His arm tightened around her waist.   
  
"Sam, I've been thinking... about us and our... situtaion." Slowly his eyes opened and he gazed   
down at her. Sam in return lifted her head from its resting place and leaned on her elbows to get a better view of his still sleepy features.  
  
God, she adored his face!   
  
"I know it happens not that often that I'm really thinking about something... but my brain   
considered the circumstances worthwhile and used some of the stored energy..."   
Sam chuckled, waiting patiently for him to continue.   
  
"And I came to the conclusion that the only possible solution for our situation is that I retire." He paused, waiting for any sign that Sam wanted say somethig regarding this matter. But the blond  
woman kept silent and only gazed into his eyes.   
"And so... I prepared the papers yesterday and sent them to Hammond's office five sec before I   
left the base..."   
  
"Wait a second! You did that yesterday? And why do you think it was necessary to leave this tiny detail out when I came here last night?"   
Jack couldn't tell whether she was angry or just shocked at his sudden decision... so he frowned to make it clear that he didn't know how to react.   
  
"I knew that we would need some more time to you know...", his hand gestured between him and her,"... and so I first wanted to talk about it with you... but Sam, I really had to do this! For you and me!   
  
I'm quite... aged, elderly, call it whatever you want to, but please not 'old'... that makes me feel... old and unworthy for you, and I think that time is slowly running out for me. I have allowed so many chances to just pass by, but this love I feel for you is just to precious to ignore it!"   
Sam smiled gracefully in response and placed a small kiss on his lips to stop him from babbling.   
  
"I mean it Sam... I retired because it was time... and the right time I may add! I love you and  
couldn't stand it to see you leave SG1 just because of me."   
  
Sam nodded, her eyes casted downwards as she contemplated the meaning of what Jack had said.   
A new path had opened up in front of them... a new possible future offered its secrets behind a   
closed door. And Sam had the handle in her hand.   
  
"Did I mention that I'm in love with you, Jack O'Neill?" His hand toyed with a strand of her hair.   
"Yeah, but I really need to hear that more often from now on."   
  
Sam kissed him and Jack could feel her smile against his lips.   
"I love you."   
"Love you, too."   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
FINIS !!!  
  
Did 'I' mention that I love feedback? And maybe, but just maybe, there'll be a fourth part...  
haven't decided yet though   
hinthint 


	4. Buying a dog

Summary: Jack has a lot of time and thinks about a nice future with his Sam.   
Category: Humor, Romance, Series   
Season: future Season   
Pairing: Jack/Sam   
Rating: PG   
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA,  
Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment   
purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).   
  
Author's notes:  
Here's finally the fourth part of the 'painting'-series! I really hope you like it as much as the last   
parts! I guess there could be a fifth part, but that depends on the amount of feedback I get!   
Thanks for betaing Susan!!!! Feel hugged!   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
"Jack?"  
The person in question looked up from the newspaper he was holding in both hands. 'Well, the sports part had to wait then.'   
  
"Hmm?"  
"Have you seen my keys?"   
  
Who would have thought that the genius/saver-of-the-world/beautiful-woman/dream-come-true Sam Carter always managed to misplace keys, tools and books?   
  
Jack O'Neill sure as hell hadn't!   
  
"No I havn't, Sammy."  
He knew she hated her nickname more than Anubis... ok, maybe not 'that' much, but did the fact that he knew it prevent him from using it?   
  
No!   
  
Right on clue, Sam appeared beside him, her hands resting on the kitchen table in front of him and a mock-glare directed his way.   
  
"I swear, if you ever call me..."  
He pre-empted her attempt to look angry by giving her a quick kiss on her moving lips. Jack had soon found out that that was the best way to shut her up. And he used this special technique on a regular basis.   
  
Sam sighed audibly... somtimes she hated him for having that much control over her. And that only after four weeks!   
  
Yes, they had been officially together/involved/in love for nearly four weeks now. Four weeks   
full of love, joy, fun... and work.   
  
Sam had climbed the ladder to a Lieutenant Colonel and was now leader of SG1... She'd have never believed Jack, if he'd told her that being a CO meant that much work.   
Not only did her new rank include more responsibility, but also more paperwork. And that added to her normal busy job (she still was the number one scientist on base) and all the off-world activity meant quite a lot of stress.   
  
But she was happy with the reason for all the work... which was currently nibbling her neck.   
"Jack I've to go... a briefing with the scientists and then there're some mission reports to sign and  
after that lots of experiments to run."   
  
"No mission for SG1 today?"  
"Nope."   
  
Jack nodded as if he was thinking about something very seriously. "Alright Samm..." ,the woman  
glared ,"...uhm, have fun!"   
  
She gave him a quick kiss on his lips, before grabbing her helmet from a chair next to Jack and  
walking to the front door of Jack's house... in which she had spent a lot of time recently.   
  
"Oh and Sam?"  
Sam stopped dead in her tracks and turned back to where the voice had come from.   
  
"Could you please ask Daniel to come over today? I have to talk to him about his... newest 'female obsession."   
  
Frowning in bewilderment, Sam nodded and left the house, heading straight to her motor bike.   
'Since when did Daniel have a new 'female obsession'?'   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
"Jack?"  
"The door's open, Danny-boy!"   
  
Daniel turned the door knob and stepped into the house of his best friend.   
"Where are you?"   
"Garden." Came the muffled reply.   
  
Sighing deeply and shaking his head, Daniel headed to the open glass door that lead to Jack's   
garden, which Daniel had to admit, was very... tidy ever since Jack had decided to retire.   
  
"Uhm, Jack, Sam said you wanted to see me... about my newest 'female obsession'? May I ask you who exactly that would be?"   
  
Jack averted his eyes from the bottle of beer he held tightly in his hand (he had been trying in vain to peel off the damn label for the better part of the last thirty minutes... maybe Sam had some acid left somewhere in the house) and listened as his friend walked down the stairs, making his way over the soft gras to his folding chair.   
  
"No idea what she is talking about Daniel... you have some time for an old man?" He heard a chuckle from behind him and waved his hand to a second chair to his left.   
  
"'Course I have Jack, or do you think I'd be here otherwise?" Good point.   
"You see Danny-boy... I have something to talk about with ya."   
"About Sam?"   
  
What a perceptive little geek he was!  
"Yeah, not just about Sam, but well... about 'us'."He made quotation marks with his fingers while  
saying 'us'.   
  
"And what would be the problem about 'us'?" Jack started to pull at the edge of the label again and concentrated really hard to tear some of it off, but to no avail!... Damn thingy...   
  
"You still with me Jack?"  
"Oh yeah, right...'us'..."   
  
Daniel just wanted to shake him by his shoulders (he had the distinctive feeling Jack had stopped  
thinking), when O'Neill stopped fidgeting with the bottle and settled on watching the tree in the far left corner of the garden.   
  
"I think about buying a dog for us. Do you think that'd be a good idea? I mean we've been together for a good month now and a dog would be the best way to say 'I love you and don't want you to leave me ever again', now isn't it?"   
  
Daniel pursed his lips and furrowed his brows as he thought hard about it... a dog as a symbol of  
undying love? Uhm, well Jack had always had his own strange ways to show feelings.   
  
"Uhm, I guess yes, Jack."  
"So you wanne say that it's the right time to do it?"   
  
Daniel turned to his right to make eye contact with the other man, but Jack had nothing of his   
attempt and just kept on staring at the tree.   
"I think so, yes."  
  
"Good."   
Daniel was still frowning as he watched Jack. His behaviour was very odd, even for him! Maybe  
retirement hasn't been that good for his health after all.   
  
"Daniel... what would you wear if you were let's say the witness of this... acquisition?" Could a frown get any deeper? In Daniel's case it could!  
  
"I'd probably wear jeans and a shirt or, wait a sec! Jack, I'm not entirely sure I read it right, but   
was the dog... some kind of metaphor for something else!"   
  
"Answer my question: what would you wear?"   
"Jack, I won't wear anything if you don't tell me exactly what you mean!"   
  
"Too bad... well, then I've to ask Teal'c what he'd wear. I mean Daniel, please! A weeding is not a nudist-meeting!"   
  
"Oh my God! Jack!"   
A huge smile spread out over Daniel's face as he got up from his chair and positioned his body   
between Jack's head and the tree. It was then that Jack finally averted his eyes from the garden and looked in Daniel's smiling face.   
  
"Yeah, Daniel, I guess that's the right way to put it."   
"I don't know what to say..."   
  
"A 'yes', that you take the job as my best man would be a good start."   
"Hell, yes! Yeah it'd be an honour to be your best man, Jack!"   
  
Jack nodded his head and slowly got up from the folding chair, now standing directly in front of   
Daniel. A corner of his lips curved up to a lopsided grin as he waited patiently for the inevitable to happen...   
  
Daniel hugged him.  
  
"Jack, congratulations! When are you going to ask her?"   
The young archaeologist was holding him at arm's length, mustering him from head to toe as if he  
was deciding whether Jack was worthy enough to be Sam's husband. Not that Jack would give a damn about it... alright, he did want to know what Daniel was thinking about it, but just because they were friends!   
  
"I intend on doing it in two days... I had to make things clear for what I am planning and had to talk with some people. You are actually the last to know about my plan... apart from Sam of course."   
  
"Why?"  
"Daniel, don't get me wrong, but if I'd tell ya two days ago, you would have been running around  
with a grin plastered all over your face that would have screamed 'Chesire cat'! And don't even   
begin to imagine Sam wouldn't have noticed!"   
  
Daniel nodded his head in obvious agreement and his smile broadened as he pictured himself walking around base and grinning like an idiot.   
  
"So what exactly are you planning, Jack."   
"Well, my plan contains a ring, a working knee and..."   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
"Daniel! Hey, everything alright with you?"   
Jackson stopped brushing away the sand from the small stone wall and made eye contact with the woman who was hovering above him like a mother hen.   
  
SG1 were on a routine mission to P9Y-457... a planet that consisted mainly of sand, uhm, sand, here and there a stone dotting the sandy landscape and sometimes a smaller stone... in one word: boring!   
  
Sam didn't even know why they were here! Another team had already been here some weeks ago and had given the planet a clean bill of health, which meant that the planet was absolutely unimportant.   
  
The only evidence that somebody had lived here some thousand years ago, was a tiny little stone wall situated four miles away from the gate in the middle of the large desert.   
  
So now SG1 were sitting, lying or crouching on the sand dune, trying desperately to find some   
shelter under the makeshift tent and to prevent the burning sun from reaching any part of   
unprotected skin. Which was more than difficult...it was virtually impossible!   
  
"Yeah, I'm just fine, Sam!"  
Sam furrowed her brows... why was he so damn happy?   
  
Daniel hadn't stopped smiling ever since he'd walked into the gate room that morning... just like   
a Chesire cat! Maybe it was going well with his new 'female obsession' as Jack liked to call it.   
Though she still didn't know any names.   
  
"Teal'c... do you know who Daniel's seeing?"   
"I have not realized that Daniel Jackson is interested in anybody, Colonel Carter."   
Sounded plausible... it seemed Jack was actually the only one who did know anything!   
  
"Sam, I guess we should go back... here's nothing of interest. Just a lot of sand and stones." That  
man was such a genius sometimes! Sand... God, when had he noticed that?   
  
"Alright people, we better get back, my skin's redder than a tomato! And I swear that sand has   
found places on my body that I didn't even know about!"   
"Indeed."  
  
Sam chuckled and shouldered her MP5, which seemed to weigh a ton... maybe not that much, but it was really heavy to carry that black thing through a desert with all the other stuff on your back!   
  
The only thing that appeared to be of some use were the sun glasses... she was wearing Jack's. He had given them to her shortly after her first mission as a team leader. And she was wearing them on every given occasion as her personal talisman.   
  
After having packed everything into the backpacks, the friends made their way back to the stargate.   
  
Sam really hoped that somebody was waiting with a huge glass of ice-cold water on earth... even if it was McKenzie. All that mattered was water!   
  
"Sam , you ever been thinking about buying a dog?" What a question was that?   
"Uhm, not sure. I love dogs and Jack loves 'em too, but we havn't decided which breed to take."   
"Alright... sure, Sam."   
  
/()/()/   
  
The rest of their journey back home was spent in comfortable silence. None of them wanted to talk in the burning sun and so just concentrated on the task of not slipping on the huge sand dunes.   
  
Sam had the feeling they'd been walking for hours when the stargate came into view.   
"Finally... Daniel start dialling, Teal'c you send the code and thn we get the hell off this planet!"   
  
The two men did as they were asked to and soon the gate started spinning, one chevron after the other locking in.   
  
"I have sent the code."  
"Great... Daniel, Teal'c get through."   
  
Before Daniel disappeared into the shimmering blue horizon of the stargate's inner, Sam saw the huge cheeky grin that had covered his face for the better part of the mission.   
'Really, really strange!'   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
What the hell was going on here?   
Not entirely sure what else to do, Sam let go of her weapon and allowed it to fall loosely beside her hip. She could hear the disengaging wormhole behind her and took a step away from the gate.   
  
"Ma'am."  
In a haze Sam realized that a soldier had appeared beside her to take her weapons. But she was  
quite unable to move, still too baffled from the whole scene in front of her.   
  
The gate room was crowded with way too many people for Sam's liking. She knew them all and found actually everybody Sam counted to her friends among the familiar faces. Janet, SG1, General Hammond, Ferretti, that guy what's-his-name, who always seemed to live in one of the labs...   
  
What the hell was going on here. Or had she already mentioned the only coherent thought that was currently running through her mind?   
  
"Colonel?"  
"Yeah, sorry." Prying her eyes away from the (obviously) waiting crowd, Sam handed the man beside her all her weapons and her heavy backpack. He nodded shortly and sprinted down the ramp, disappearing in the throng.   
  
She was still standing on top of the ramp when the crowd suddenly parted, creating a path from the end of the ramp to the blast doors... which lead to an increasing frown on Sam's forehead.   
  
The blast doors opened and a man stepped into the large room.   
  
'What the bloody hell was 'he' doing here?'   
"Jack?"   
  
Sam's voice was laced with disbelief and surprise as she watched the man she loved walk slowly over to the begnning of the ramp... which Sam appeared to be glued to. She just couldn't order her legs to move. Something was about to happen, but her brain just couldn't come up with a plausible reason... maybe the sun had done more damage than just the average dehydration.   
  
Jack came to an halt and stared at her for a brief moment, before he averted his eyes from her and watched his polished shoes for a while...  
  
Wait a good-darn sec!   
  
Why in God's name was he wearing a black suit? Oh no, no! Had to be the heat... it couldn't be what she thought it was.   
  
"Sam. You probably wonder why I'm standing here, all dressed up and a whole army of friends in tow. Well..."   
  
He got down on his right knee... the sound of creaking bones echoing through the silence (some   
people may have snickered, but he just ignored them pointedly... ok, he ignored them with a pointed glare over his shoulder).   
  
Sam started shaking her head...   
  
"Uhm Sam could you..." He gestured with his hand between their bodys and Sam obeyed silently, walking down the ramp on shaking legs... when had they started to feel wobbly?   
  
When she had reached his kneeling form, Jack reached out with both hands and grasped her   
trembling ones tenderly.   
  
Jack caught her shimmering eyes and inhaled deeply... just to calm his own raw nerves.   
"Sam... from the first second I've seen you in that briefing room some eight years ago, I knew   
immediately you were a pain in the ass..." A small smile played at the corners of her mouth.   
  
"You see I really tried hard not to like you, with you being a brainy scientist and somtimes way too smart for your own damn good. But fortunately my days in the black ops didn't protect me much from the Carter-charm and I fell for you... hard."   
  
The room was silent except for the trembling breath of Sam.   
  
"Sam, I love you, more than anything else in my life and I will love you as long as I'm still able to   
breath and think... though I guess the thinking part will cease much faster than the breathing part..." Sam chuckled nervously,"... the last four weeks were better than heaven and I thank God, whether he's real or not, for sending such an angel down to earth to make an old guy happy again."   
  
Jack lowered his gaze for a moment, swallowing the lump that had magically appeared in his throat... damn emotions. But when he looked up again and saw those bright blue eyes, he knew he wasn't the only one who was currently fighting for composure.   
  
"Uhm, Daniel..."At hearing Jack mention their friend's name, Sam glanced up to the man standing  
behind the ex-Colonel.   
  
With a huge smile, Daniel walked the few feet to Jack, his hands hidden behind his back. With one hand, Jack let go of Sam's trembling fingers and reached behind him to take whatever Daniel was about to offer him.   
  
"Sam... ", her eyes were back on his (slightly) nervous face,"... You know there's not much I can offer you. All I can give you for sure is my heart, my soul and my body... and maybe my house and a warm meal every evening, but otherwise, well I'm no Hollywood beau or whatever. I'm an old, cranky guy, but..."   
  
From behind him, Jack produced a flower pot... a dark blue pot with a huge yellow smily-face   
covering one front. It was filled to the rim with earth and lying in the middle was a silver ring.   
  
"Jack." As soon as she'd seen the ring, Sam was no longer able to hold back the tears. They   
cascaded down her cheeks and dropped onto the metallic ramp she was still standing on... though her legs threatened to give way any second now.   
  
"Samantha Carter, what I'm trying to say with this is... do you want to marry me?" Sam bit her lower lip and smiled brightly down at him.   
  
"Dammit Colonel, say yes!"  
The whole room seemed to laugh as one when they heard Major Ferretti yelling 'his' answer through the silence.   
  
Carefully, Sam lowered herself to Jack's eye level and grasped both his hands and the flower pot tightly, so that her knuckles turned white.   
  
"God yes, Jack!"   
  
For the fraction of a second, Jack didn't know what to do... he was just staring at her in shock. But thanks to some supernatural powers (Daniel's knee in Jack's back), Jack finally overcame it and placed the flower pot back down on the floor. He then took the shimmering ring and slipped it over Sam's left ring finger... which resulted in a sharp breath from the woman.   
  
Jack nearly crushed her sobbing body with his own. Her arms found their way around his back and held on to the black shirt he was wearing seemingly for dear life.   
  
Jack kissed her neck tentatively and made his way up her jaw and finally sought her mouth for a   
mind-blowing kiss... which she returned equally eagerly.   
  
The couple was oblivious to the cheering and applauding crowd gathered around them. The tears were still falling down Sam's face and Jack wiped them away with his thumbs after they had to come up for air.   
  
And all of a sudden, their friends surrounded them, Daniel carefully taking the flower pot from the floor. But Jack's and Sam's hands weren't unoccupied for long... people appeared and had the need to congratulate them all at the same time.   
  
"Alright, people... lemme through!"   
The scary Doc made her way through the crowd and glared at everybody who blocked her path... though they all prcatically ran away just at seeing her prepare her I-have-your-health-in-my-hands look.   
  
"Sam!"  
"Janet!"   
  
The two friends hugged each other, both crying with a smile plastered on their lips.   
"I'm so happy for you honey!"   
  
"I still think I'm dreaming Jan..."  
"Believe me, this is so not a dream, Sam!"   
  
"Janet?... Would you please be my bridesmaid?"   
"I thought you'd never ask!"   
  
Again they hugged and when Sam looked up from where she had burrowed her head in Janet's   
shoulder, she found Jack's eyes. Her smile grew even brighter and new moisture gathered in her   
eyes.   
  
She was going to (finlly) marry this man!   
  
/()/()/()/()/   
  
FINIS !!!  
  
I know you have an opinion about this story and I really need to know it... NOW!!!   
Sequel, no sequel? Why? 


	5. Standing tall

Summary: Hmm, did they really tell 'everybody' about their upcoming wedding?  
Category: Angst, Humor, Romance, Series Season: future Season Pairing: Jack/Sam Rating: PG13 Warnings: language, maybe... Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author.  
  
Author's notes:  
Here's the fifth part of this series and to be honest I have never even considered the possibility of writing a series... but thanks to all the feedback, I had no other choice but to keep on writing! So if you wanne know what happens after this one just go on and write some lines!  
  
Thanks for betaing Susan and Amy! You did a great job!! And Shan, thanks for helping me with 'J-prob'... promise to write something soon!! xD  
  
/()/()/()/()/  
  
'Where are those damn keys'  
Impatiently Sam rummaged through the content of her jeans pockets. She knew that they were somewhere in there, but she just couldn't find... Ha, there they were!  
  
Inserting the key into the lock, Sam turned it and pushed the door open with her right foot. Immediately the scent of a warm meal engulfed her and Sam had to smile when she saw a burning candle standing on a shelf in the hallway of Jack's house.  
  
He was sooo sweet!  
Not that she'd ever tell him this, but it was really one of his best characteristics... though she had to admit, that it wasn't 'the' best he had to offer...  
  
"Jack, I'm home."  
Sam stood silently in the corridor for a long moment, waiting patiently for his muffled voice to reach her ears, but nothing happened.  
  
Frowning slightly (a Jack O'Neill that wasn't at home and a burning candle were not good signs), Sam made her way over to the entrance to the living room. She dropped her keys carelessly onto the counter and allowed her eyes to roam over the inner of the room.  
  
Where the hell was he?  
Suddenly Sam's eyes fell onto another candle... and a third.  
  
Jack's absence was momentarily forgotten, as she walked over to the two dangerous flames (what if they had fallen over and had set off a fire!) and blew them out. Good, now that she'd made sure that the house was no longer in risk of burning down, Sam went back to the living room door and walked down the hallway to the kitchen.  
  
"Jack? I hope you turned off the oven!" She could smell fish... she loved fish, despite the uncountable invitations she had turned down in the last years.  
  
Inhaling deeply, Sam was just about to enter the kitchen, when she heard something... Something she'd never heard before in this house... Something that sounded suspiciously like a howling dog...  
  
Her eyes wandered down to the bottom of the door frame, where she actually found a howling dog. A puppy!  
  
"Hey, baby... what are you doing here, huh?" Sam knelt down in front of the black and white coloured puppy and grasped it under its forelegs, lifting it up from the linoleum floor and held it at arm's length.  
  
The dog was still howling and its heart-rending eyes watched her intently. Sam felt something moving underneath her fingers and when she looked over the puppy's head she could see its tail swinging happily from side to side.  
  
A huge smile spread out over her face, as Sam took the little dog into her arms and got up from the floor. With the hand that wasn't holding the puppy securely against her chest, Sam stroked its head.  
  
Sooo sweeet!  
  
Sam just couldn't take her eyes away from the little, furry, happy bundle... ohhhh, she really wanted to squeeze the air outta this cute baby.  
  
She heard somebody approaching her from behind and smiled evilly...  
  
"No, Jack, we won't call him Thor."  
"But Sam! I mean... how did you know I wanted to... ?"  
  
Jack was pre-empted from Sam's lips on his (he wasn't the only one in this relationship who could stop the other person mid-sentence with this!).  
  
"Jack, Jack, Jack... I can see right through you buddy." Jack grinned boyishly and encircled her with his arms.  
  
"And I guess 'King Kong' is not acceptable as well, huh?" Sam kissed him quickly, before stepping out of his embrace and heading to the kitchen table.  
  
Having reached it, she placed the squirming puppy on the smooth surface and stroked its chin, ears and belly.  
"I never get treated like him!"  
  
"That's because you don't have this cute wet nose and this toddler-way of walking... he's such a cute little baby... he's an Australian Shepherd, right?"  
"Astrophysicist, biker, US Air Force Colonel and dog-lover... what a woman!"  
  
His hands started massaging her shoulders and Sam leaned into the gentle touch of his oh-so talented fingers... she so wouldn't have believed what he was able to do with them, never!  
  
"He really needs a name... what about Rick... or Dick!" "Rick sounds good, but 'Dick'? Please Sam, I don't want a dog that is named after the male reproductive organ!"  
  
Sam smiled with full-force and leant her head back over the back of the chair to steal a kiss. Jack fulfilled her wish eagerly and kissed her deeply. When they came up for air, both were breathing heavily.  
  
"How 'bout we just forget the dinner and take this elsewhere... maybe upstairs?" Sam bit her lower lip and turned around to face him fully.  
  
"How 'bout we eat, go for a walk with Rick and 'then' get upstairs?" "Whatever you want honey."  
  
/()/()/()/()/  
  
Sleepily, Sam opened her eyes and peered at the little alarm clock on her nightstand.  
  
It read 0600 and Sam groaned as she realized that she could have slept another two hours. Because that was the time when Mr. 'It's-sunday-and-I'm-retired-and-won't-get-up-that-early' decided to wake up and occupy the bathroom with his Adonis-body.  
  
But thanks to her military training she'd always wake up at sharp 6 o'clock in the morning.  
What a curse!  
  
So instead of trying desperately (and in vain) to get back to sleep, Sam unhooked her leg from around Jack's and allowed her hand to run down his bare chest one last time, before slipping out from under the covers.  
  
Sam had barely left Jack's side, when he turned on his belly and hugged her pillow to his face, mumbling something incoherently. Sam smiled gently and bent down to plant a quick kiss on top of Jack's head.  
  
Having accomplished her mission to leave him without actually waking him up (he had 'such' sharp senses...), Sam got up from the soft mattress and made her way over to the half closed bathroom door.  
  
She disappeared behind the wooden door and soon the sound of water could be heard... though maybe Jack didn't really 'hear' it!  
  
/()/()/()/()/  
  
With eyes that disobeyed his brain's order to focus, Jack tried to make out the numbers on the little watch on Sam's nightstand. It was one of those that showed the exact time... Sam loved being punctual and couldn't live without it.  
  
Aha... a number appeared slightly blurred... a... maybe guessing worked... an eight!  
  
Jack smiled lazily into the darkness behind his lids (his eyes had closed magically without his brain's consent) and inhaled deeply. His arms stretched out over the whole width of the king size bed and he suddenly remembered that he hadn't felt the warmth of somebody's body when his fuzzy mind had decided to stop sleeping...  
  
"Sam?"  
His eyes opened again and wandered without any actual aim over the room... where the hell was that woman?  
  
"Sam... where are you?" Jack asked the silence in a sing-song voice. No answer.  
  
Sighing audibly, Jack tossed the covers to the floor and jumped out of the bed, rolling his shoulders to get the sleepiness out of them. For a second all he could see were those lovely bright stars, but well... he was getting older and that was supposed to happen to cranky guys like him!  
  
"Jack, I'm downstairs."  
"Alright, gotta come down after I relieved my poor bladder..."  
  
After some minutes (he would never leave the bathroom without having brushed his teeth) he left the bedroom and walked carefully down the stairs, following the scent of fresh coffee and... something else...  
  
Jack furrowed his brows and automatically his nose wrinkled. What the hell...  
  
"Hey, Jack, did you sleep well?"  
Sam was sitting on the kitchen floor and stroked the upturned belly of their new family member... no his name wasn't 'King Kong'... uhm, and it sure as hell wasn't 'Dick'... oh yeah, right! Rick!  
  
"Hey, Ricky... how's my dangerous beast? Have you killed anything this morning?" Sam grinned up at him and kept on petting the squirming puppy with her hands. And as Jack watched her he had suddenly the need to really kiss her... hard.  
  
The scene displayed in front of him, was a picture of pure innocence... sooo adorable! "This puppy is probably the luckiest dog in the whole wide universe."  
  
Sam frowned.  
"I mean, everybody who's had the pleasure to get caressed like Rick right now, including me of course, knows how he's feeling right now... though I'd wish it was me getting stroked and kissed and..."  
  
"He peeed onto the kitchen floor when he saw me this morning... some men know how to make a woman feel special."  
"Well, he loves you and was just so damn happy... and this explains the interesting scent here."  
  
The little furry ball turned and made his way with clumsy movements to the second person on the kitchen floor. His tail wiggled happily from side to side as Rick approached Jack quickly.  
  
"I gotta get some fresh rolls and then we can have a long lazy breakfast." "Can we eat naked? This gives the whole eating-in-the-morning-with-the-person-you-love a totally new aspect... kind of arousing I'd say."  
  
Sam chuckled and took her purse from the table, shaking her head as she had a million dollar smile plastered on her lips. She leaned down to capture Jack's lips in a sweet kiss.  
  
"Promises, promises... then why are you still dressed, flyboy?" With that, Sam left him grinning in the kitchen and made her way to the bakery.  
  
/()/()/()/()/  
  
'Ding-Dong'...'Ding-Dong'...  
  
So much for getting naked and waiting with a rose in his mouth on the kitchen table. Jack was glad he had instead decided to set the table in a still mostly dressed state.  
  
"I'm coming!"  
Jack carefully stepped around the sleeping form of their puppy 'Rick'.  
  
Rolling his eyes as he heard a fist connecting with the front door, Jack swore under his breath. He quickly made his way over to the door and turned the knob, pulling it open and setting his face as neutral as possible without looking too artificial... years of military training helped him to accomplish this more than difficult mission!  
  
He would have never expected to see the person that was waiting outside the front door. Jack O'Neill had faced a lot of dangers in his life, but he'd never even thought about the horror that was currently watching his (clad in boxers) body from head to toe.  
  
And as he watched the other person back, two things rushed through his mind:  
The first thing was a list of 'Things I have to do before kicking the bucket:  
-damn the regs and tell Samantha Carter that I love her like a madman... Done!  
-ask her to merry me... Done!  
-have sex with her in my bedroom... Done!  
-find that mysterious mole... Done!  
-have sex with her on my couch and anywhere else in this house... Oh, yeah, mission completed!!'  
  
The second thing was the question why his life didn't play through his mind in high speed... like they say it'd happen when you're near death?!  
  
"Jack."  
"Jake."  
  
All right, the introduction was over and Jack was still breathing, had no fractures or a fried brain (he couldn't know what this man was actually 'hiding' under his earth-clothes... please God don't let it be a hand-device!).  
  
Jack cleared his throat soundly and opened the door wider, allowing the older man to step into his house... where he would find his death very soon. God bless he had a testament!  
  
Before he closed the door behind his doomed body, Jack saw a military jeep driving down the long street that lead roughly to Cheyenne Mountain... should he survive this day, Jack would kill Daniel for not phoning him!  
  
"So Jack... I heard you're retired?"  
Damn that man! Why did he not just give him the deathblow straight away? Now that he still had his -or at least some- dignity left.  
  
"Yeah... thought the time was right to allow somebody else to get their hands dirty." "Oh, I understand... somebody like Sam?"  
  
Jack had the sudden need to clear his dry throat again... but he decided against it. Doing that too often and in front of his maybe-soon-to-be-father-in-law wasn't that good an idea... in fact it would show how nervous he was at the moment.  
  
"Uhm, yes... Sam, I mean Carter has been ready for her own command for a long time now and the opportunity was just too good to pass up."  
  
"Yeah, I agree with you on that one, but don't you think there was another reason for your... let's call it rushed decision to leave the Air Force?" His death sentence had been signed...  
  
Jack cleared his throat. Dammit!  
"I'm not sure what you're implying on, Jake..." God he needed time! Sam couldn't need that long to get some rolls!  
  
The ex-General clasped his hands tightly behind his back and slowly walked back to where Jack was still standing against the door. The air was getting rapidly thinner in this house...  
  
"A little bird told me that my daughter thinks about selling her house and moving elsewhere... or should I say to somebody else's house?"  
  
"Daniel?"  
Jacob nodded, eyes never leaving Jack's face.  
  
"Well, Sam isn't here right now, as you can see... but I guess if you call her and we know where she is, then I could drive ya to her and she could explain this big huge misunderstanding and we..."  
  
"What! You call the relationship you have with my 'only' daughter a 'big huge misunderstanding'? Jack don't make me lose the rest of my self-control!"  
  
Jack gulped quickly and carefully walked around Jacob, avoiding eye contact as best as possible. He had to get his ass out of the danger zone. Standing there and playing target for a Tok'ra, was not one of his best ideas... maybe if he could insert his boot in his way too big mouth...  
  
"Jack, I want an honest answer."  
"Sure... Sir."  
  
The ghost of a smile hushed over Jacob's lips, before he re-assumed his stoic position and folded his arms across his chest. His eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips, waiting for Jack to gather what was left of his strength.  
  
"Do you love my daughter?"  
The question 'Who?' burned on Jack's tongue, but the last bit of his brain prevented him from committing suicide.  
  
"Uhm...well, you see...yes?"  
"Was that a question or your answer?"  
  
Jack cleared his throat.  
"Yeah, I mean yes, Sir! I love Sam and am going to marry her even if you chop my head off my body!"  
  
He stood tall as he delivered Jake his final say in the matter... he was so brave! Though watching the emotionless features of the other man might force his braveness down to a new record minimum.  
  
"Dad? What are you doing here?"  
Jack and Jacob turned to the open door.  
  
Jack's mind screamed 'thank you God' and he allowed his shoulders to slump in relief.  
  
Sam was standing there, one hand holding the bag with rolls, the other one gripping the doorknob tightly. She was frowning and her eyes flickered back and forth between the two men.  
  
"Hey, kiddo... how are you doing?"  
Jacob engulfed her in a fatherly hug and squeezed her against his chest.  
  
With his enemy's back now facing him, Jack's eyes widened and he sought Sam's gaze, mouthing 'help' when she finally saw his pleading look. She just smiled back and stepped out of her dad's embrace.  
  
"I'm fine Dad, what about you? How's Selmac and the rest of the family?" "Oh, they're all more or less fine."  
  
Jacob's hand settled on the small of Sam's back, leading her to the living room. As they passed Jack, Jacob glared over his shoulder... just for good measure.  
  
Jack watched as Sam and Jacob sat down on the large couch and suddenly an image of what he and Sam had done there sprang to his mind... God, he would never look in the other man's eyes again!  
  
"Why didn't anybody call me that you came through the gate today? I would have come back then." "That was not necessary Sam, a Captain drove me to Jack's house."  
  
Sam bit the inner part of her cheek and smiled tightly... and that Jack was fumbling nervously with his fingers and had a horrified expression on his face, didn't help a bit.  
  
"They've already told you about Jack and me?" "Yes, unfortunately George did... I, uhm, asked him in my friendliest manner."  
  
"I was actually planning to deliver you the news some time ago, but we couldn't get hold of you. The Tok'ra apparently decided to play planet-hopping and so my messages never found their destiny."  
  
"Don't worry Sam, wasn't your fault, but you do understand that it's quite a shock to find out that your daughter is going to marry her ex-CO in nearly two weeks... I think it is my duty as your father to make sure this man deserves you!"  
  
"So what? You start asking weird questions like you've always done when I've brought somebody home?"  
Jacob frowned and nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting up to an earnest smile.  
  
"You know... I wasn't so bad, Sam... now was I, Jack?" He asked the other white as a ghost man. "I asked him whether he loves you and he stood tall and said 'yes'." Sam smiled brightly up to where Jack was leaning against a wall.  
  
Feeling a bit safer now, Jack moved to the armchair opposite the couch. He was so damn glad Jacob had decided against an execution and had just intended to scare him a bit out of his mind. And Jack had to admit that his legs had actually started to feel wobbly...  
  
"You two know that everybody suspected this." "Yeah... well we didn't realize that everybody 'everybody' knew about our... feelings for each other. The only people we knew for sure were Janet, Daniel and Teal'c. That there were betting pools, was absolutely new to me!"  
  
Sam grasped Jack's hand and got up from where she had been sitting beside her Dad. Carefully she stepped around the small coffee table and sat down on the armrest to Jack's right. His arm crept around Sam's back and held her protectively. Sam leant her head down and kissed him tenderly.  
  
'This' woman was 'his' property! And there was nothing in hell that could make him think otherwise.  
  
To his luck, Jacob still seemed to tolerate what he was doing with his daughter and just kept on watching him with eagle eyes.  
  
"I'm happy for you two and I guess I've made sure with my interrogation that Jack really loves you and doesn't want to marry you to... I don't know, take advantage of you!"  
  
"I know it's difficult to believe, but I don't love her just because of all the great sex we have..." Three pairs of eyes, terror evident in them, stared at each other...  
  
Uh-Oh...  
  
/()/()/()/()/  
  
FINIS!!!  
  
If you wanne know what happens on their wedding, just go and review! You know you want it,  
so why havn't you pressed the button yet?? 


	6. Moments of fear

Summary: Jack can't protect Sam anymore, and that five days before the wedding. Category: Angst, Romance, Series Season: future Season Pairing: Jack/Sam Rating: PG 13 Warnings: none Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).  
  
Author's notes:  
Sorry folks, but this story isn't what I had intended to write. One night my sis woke up and asked (in the middle of the night!), what Jack's reaction would be in case something happened to Sam while not at home... I couldn't sleep and had to start writing. So you see this whole thing isn't entirely my fault and I hope you like it nonetheless!  
  
Feedback me and let me know whether you want to read the marrying-part! Thanks for beating Susan! You did an excellent job, as always!  
  
"Row, row, row your boat, up and down the stream..." 'What the hell...?'  
  
Jack sighed angrily, when he heard the loud ringing of the doorbell... for the fifth time! Why couldn't the person just accept, that Jack was ignoring him, huh?  
  
Turning off the water, Jack opened the Plexiglass door of the shower cubicle and grabbed the next best towel from the shelf beside the washbasin. He wrapped it around his mid-section and stormed out of the bathroom, swearing under his breath as the air in the corridor made contact with his dripping wet skin.  
  
Again somebody rang the bell.  
'Argh!'  
  
"Dammit, I'm coming already!"  
The front door came into sight and Jack gave it his best glare. Whatever or better whoever was waiting outside, would have to cope with a fresh-out-of-the-shower-ex-colonel, who was only wearing a maybe way too short towel... and he really, 'really' didn't care whether it was that nice old lady from across the street or a murderer hunting for his newest trophy!  
  
Holding the towel securely in place, Jack turned the doorknob and pulled the door open... "Hey Jack."  
  
Facing the man standing oppsoite him, Jack frowned and inclined his head slightly. "Ferretti...what are you doing here?"  
  
"Jack, we've tried to reach you for the better part of the last two hours and the General finally decided to send somebody to your house to get you." "Well, you see, I've retired and have other things to do than waiting by the phone for one of you guys to call m... wait a sec."  
  
Jack looked over the Major's shoulder, eyeing the two soldier's standing behind Ferretti.  
"Is Sam alright?"  
  
"Um... something happened to Major Carter..."  
  
Jack had already turned his back to the three soldiers and was running down the corridor, back to the bathroom. He could hear them entering his house and following him to his destination.  
  
"I can't tell ya everything Jack, but she got injured and the General thought it would be the best to get your ass back to base."  
Jack swore soundly and pulled on a pair of jeans he'd found in the laundry basket. He didn't even close the buttons, instead he walked into his bedroom to get a shirt.  
  
"Is it bad?"  
He was in the process of pulling the black T-shirt over his head and his voice was muffled.  
  
"I don't know... Jack, I can't give ya any details without the General's consent... you know the procedure."  
For a long moment, all Jack could do was stare at the younger man.  
  
His fiance was probably badly hurt and that damn right-to-the-book soldier was talking about 'procedures'! He so loved that day...  
  
"Ferretti, get me to the damn mountain, ASAP!" The young Major nodded sharply and turned,  
heading straight to the front door. Jack just took the nearest boots he could find and sprinted down the hallway, following right behind his friend.  
  
As they stepped out of the house, Jack nearly forgot to close the door behind him. His brain was working in overdrive, trying hard to banish the pictures of her dead body lying battered and broken on some damn infirmary bed.  
  
The air outside felt cool against his still damp skin and his wet clothes clung to his body. Right now he didn't care... he wouldn't have noticed a Goa'uld mothership entering earth's atmosphere even if somebody had pointed the thingy out to him.  
  
"Sir."  
Not answering, Jack got into the military jeep and fastened the seat belt across his chest. The young Captain immediately started the engine and drove off.  
  
Had that thing always been 'this' slow?  
  
Tapping his boot impatiently on the hard floor of the elevator, Jack watched the numbers of the floors changing in a regular pattern. His hands were jammed into the jeans pockets and he was trying really hard not to shake one of the guys standing around him senseless.  
  
"We're there."  
As if he'd not realized that!  
  
The doors opened and Jack practically jumped out of the slow thing... he had to find her! "Jack, this way."  
  
The need to kick Ferretti's ass was nearly overwhelming... Jack 'did' know where the infirmary was and didn't need anybody to play tour guide for him. And he'd thought, that working more than seven years in this facility meant knowing every tiny little passage! Obviously, Ferreti was afraid Jack's old brain had already forgotten where to go...  
  
"O'Neill!"  
At hearing the voice of one of his best friends, Jack turned back to where it had come from and for the fraction of a second, a smile could be seen on his lips.  
  
Finally somebody who'd tell him something! "Where is she Teal'c and what the hell happened?"  
  
They were already heading again in the direction where the infirmary was, Teal'c walking beside Jack and leading the way. Jack immediately noticed the large gash on the other man's forehead and the bandages wrapped around his right arm.  
  
"Yesterday, two Tok'ra came through the gate and asked for our help to destroy a Goa'uld Naquada-mine. General Hammond sent SG1 and SG2 with them for support, but we walked into an ambush..."  
  
"What! I'll kill those pesky snake-heads!" "Unfortunately the Tok'ra operatives were killed on the planet O'Neill. They were actually the first to die in the fire fight."  
  
Somehow, the news didn't satisfy Jack's inner tumult. The wish to beat the crap outta them was very strong and Jack swore, would he ever see one of them again (well, except for Jacob of course), he'd...  
  
"Jack! God bless you're here."  
Daniel had barely walked out of the infirmary when he'd run into the three men.  
  
His face was covered in bruises and his left leg was plastered up to his thigh. He was leaning heavily on crutches for support.  
A voice inside his mind screamed and Jack's fists clenched tightly together, knuckles turning white from the strain.  
  
"Daniel, where is Sam... and I won't ask this question again!" "She's still in surgery Jack, but one of the nurses said that Janet could come out any minute now."  
  
Good, that was good news... if Jack kept on repeating that, he could actually believe that they were indeed 'good' news. Which it wasn't...  
  
"Jack."  
If anybody (apart from Sam) called him by his name in the next ten minutes, he swore he'd start screaming and cursing some very not-to-hear-if-under-age swearwords!  
  
"Jack...",'Argh',"... good to see you son. Though I've hoped for better circumstances.  
" Jack smiled with false bravery and shook hands with his former CO.  
  
"General, good to see ya too."  
"Did they fill you in?"  
  
Jack turned back to where Daniel and Teal'c were still standing, waiting patiently for the best moment to continue... and in Daniel's opinion the two expecting pairs of eyes were 'the' right sign to do so.  
  
"Apparently the Goa'uld got their information from the inhabitants and knew when we were supposed to gate to their planet... they waited until we had reached the forest some hundred meter away from the stargate when they started to attack us."  
  
"Colonel Carter was in charge and ordered the teams back to the gate, but Daniel Jackson and Major Wei had already been wounded."  
  
Jack averted his eyes from Teal'c and watched as Daniel lowered his gaze, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe something.  
  
"I fell, Jack, and Sam supported me, while still covering SG2's backs. We had nearly reached the gate when she stopped walking and swore... but I didn't know what had happened and when she started dragging me back to the gate again, I didn't even ask her whether she was alright...I'm so sorry Jack, I should have..."  
  
A hand appeared on Daniel's shoulder and as he looked up he saw Jack smiling tightly down at him. "Let me tell ya something, Sam is one hell of a stubborn soldier... she would have carried ya through the gate even if they had amputated her legs."  
  
Daniel smiled at that and nodded his head in obvious agreement. Glad that he'd been able to dispel Daniel's feelings of guilt, Jack squeezed the other man's shoulder reassuringly. It sure as hell wasn't Daniel's or Teal'c's fault... speaking of 'fault'... he so hoped to get his hands on the Tok'ra who had been responsible for this whole mess.  
  
"Sir..."  
"Doctor Fraiser, how's Colonel Carter doing?"  
  
Jack had moved before anybody else and had positioned himself between Janet's body and the three men standing behind him. He would be the first to get the news... no matter how disrespectful that was towards Hammond!  
  
"She's going to be alright General... we have been able to extract some kind of bullet out of her abdomen. It had penetrated her body on her right side at her liver's high. We found it where it had exited the liver and had stopped short from entering a kidney."  
  
Janet could see the colour leaving Jack's face and explained hastily, that Sam was going to make a full recovery, though that could take some time due to the blood loss and the internal injuries, she and her team had been able to fix during the emergency surgery.  
  
"Can I see her, Doc ?"  
One look into the man's eyes showed her the desperation and concern. She smiled gently and led him into the ICU of the infirmary complex.  
  
Jack swallowed the lump in his throat when he saw her lying motionless in one of the beds occupying the room. Monitors and IV's were hooked up to her and her skin was white like the sheet covering her body.  
  
Silently Jack sat down in the chair that was beside her bed and took her hand carefully in his, stroking the pale flesh underneath his fingers tenderly.  
  
"Hey, Sam... it's me, Jack. Janet said you're going to make it and I hope you heard her too, 'cause our wedding is in five days and I'm so not thinking about calling the whole thing off." His friends watched him, not daring to disturb this moment.  
  
Jack found himself in a situation he had dreaded for so long. A situation he'd prayed to never be forced to experience for the rest of his life.  
  
Here she was, injured and fighting against death and he could do nothing but hold her hand and hope. He knew it had to happen one day, he wasn't blind. Jack had seen and faced the dangers of the universe more than he could count and had had his own fair share of close encounters with death, too.  
  
But during the time, when he'd been the leader of the SGC's flagship team, he had always had the chance to sacrifice himself for his team and earth. That had been his job... fighting and maybe dying for what he was supposed to do out there.  
  
Now he couldn't protect them... her anymore. And while he was sitting in that uncomfortable plastic chair, he suddenly realized it for the first time.  
  
She was on her own out there and there was nothing he could do from his cozy house to help her. His hands tightened their grasp around Sam's and he closed his eyes for a moment to get his emotions back under control.  
  
"Um, Jack... your clothes are wet."  
"Well, that is supposed to happen when you havn't had the chance to dry off after a shower, Daniel."  
  
Now that Danny-boy had mentioned it... it was actually very uncomfortable in what he was wearing, though he had to admit that a pair of jeans and a shirt wasn't quite enough...  
  
"You don't happen to have something for me to wear while I'm here General?" "I think Doctor Jackson can help you with that one, Jack."  
  
It was the first time that nearly everybody was smiling or grinning since SG1 and 2 had come back from their disastrous mission two hours ago. Jack squeezed Sam's pale hand one last time before standing up and following Daniel to wherever he was leading him.  
  
"Any news from the Tok'ra?"  
Jack cringed inwardly at hearing Daniel asking his question. He was still 'very' angry and wouldn't stop fuming until he had taken at least one of them to pieces!  
  
"Unfortunately not. We sent a message through the gate three hours ago, but we guess it's not safe to respond." Jack was facing away from the Lieutenant and Daniel, but nodded nonetheless as if he was taking part in the conversation.  
  
"Any sign she's waking?"  
Daniel had hobbled to Jack's side and sat down heavily in another chair, standing at the foot of the bed.  
  
"Nope, but her face got some colour back." "She'll wake up, Jack... this is after all Sam Carter, soon to be O'Neill! The day she's giving up hasn't been written yet."  
  
"She doesn't believe in that whole fate-crap, Daniel." "An even better reason for her to make it."  
  
Jack smiled and leant down to kiss her forehead... when it suddenly moved away from his reach. Wait a sec...  
  
"Sam? Can you hear me?"  
She was no longer intubated and moaned slightly.  
  
"My head... hurts."  
A huge grin appeared on his face as Jack pressed the call button. His hand started stroking her upper arm and his other hand gripped her moving fingers tightly.  
  
Suddenly, as if she had realized something, her eyes snapped open and seeked out his gaze... "What the hell are you doing here Jack?"  
  
He kissed her on her still pale lips and grinned boyishly down at her. "Good to see you too Sam."  
  
Sam smiled weakly up and closed her eyes briefly. She felt so damn tired, but just couldn't remember why... something popped into her mind and Sam's eyes snapped open, searching frantically the room for something....  
  
"Daniel! How are you...what happened with Teal'c and Wei?" "Whoah, slow down Sam...they're all OK." Jack laid a comforting hand on her upper arm and smiled gently.  
  
Not entirely convinced (Jack was famous for ways of twisting the truth...), Sam watched Daniel's grinning face for a while... appeared to be alright, he still had two eyes, a nose, a full set of lips and teeth and his glasses...though that bruise on his cheek was suspiciously large and not as Sam had remembered it.  
  
"What about your leg?"  
"Still there, though Janet said I have to wear the cast for at least five weeks."  
  
He was still grinning and slowly Sam allowed relief to surface. "Sam! Hey Honey, how ya feeling?"  
  
Maybe the relief had to wait until the fear of needles had time to subside... why did Janet have the untamed need to draw blood on every given occasion? "I'm fine... when do you let me outta this bed?"  
  
The needle pierced her skin and Sam hissed slightly... she was a soldier and therefore not allowed to be afraid of them! (Jack was the only one to know for sure that she had a needle-phobia ever since a pediatrician had vaccinated her against Tetanus... it had hurt, a lot!)  
  
"I guess in..." Janet made a show of studying the clipboard in her hands, flipping through pages and reading some test results aloud,"...um, a week."  
  
"What? Jan, you can't be serious! Our wedding is in... what date do we have?" "October the fifth."  
  
"Thank God, I thought I missed my own wedding... Janet, the wedding is in five days and we can't blow the whole thing up! I mean we've invited so many people from earth 'and' off-world!"  
  
"It's alright Sam, we gotta postpone it for as long as you need to recover..." "Jack, I'm going to marry you in five days, even if Teal'c has to wheel me to the altar!"  
  
Silence...  
  
"Unauthorized gate-activity!"  
"I so hope somebody with a snake in the head comes through..."  
  
Jack watched as Daniel hobbled out of the infirmary, closely followed by Janet. After he'd made sure that he was alone (well, except for the security cameras) with her, Jack leant down and kissed Sam passionately on her smiling lips.  
  
She was right, he was so going to marry her!  
  
"Sam! What the hell did you do?"  
"Actually, it wasn't me doing anything Dad."  
  
Sam grimaced as her father hugged her carefully against his chest. Behind him, Sam could see her friends and her soon-to-be-hubby waiting not so patiently for her Dad to stop playing the concerned father and get over to the task of healing her... especially Jack seemed to practically bounce with tension.  
  
Jack saw her grinning cheekily over her Dad's shoulder and rolled his eyes. That woman didn't have the slightest respect for him... God, he so loved her!  
  
"I'm going to use the healing device on your injuries honey... don't want you to wear an infirmary gown for your big day, now do we?"  
  
Sam shook her head hastily no and lay back, trying to appear as relaxed as possible without looking like dead. Suddenly she felt somebody take her hand and her eyes snapped open, meeting deep brown.  
  
Had she ever mentioned how much she loved that kind of brown? Well, she couldn't say it often enough.  
  
"Jack, I love you."  
Jack grinned and gave her a quick kiss.  
  
"Love ya, too honey."  
Sam smiled gracefully up at him and from beside her she heard somebody sigh... Janet so needed her own love life! And that ASAP!  
  
A warm feeling spread out from her abdomen to her toes, making them tingle and her breathing evened... the hand twined with hers squeezed her gently and the feeling of warmth and safety was overwhelming.  
  
"We are nearly done Samantha Carter."  
She heard her Dad with a dark voice say. Her eyelids felt so heavy, but she kept on fighting exhaustion and willed her eyes to keep on looking into Jack's.  
  
"It's alright Sam, just sleep...I'll wake you up for the wedding." Good... she had witnesses! If Jack O'Neill wouldn't do exactly that, she'd...  
  
"Kill you otherwise..."  
With that, Sam's lids dropped close and sleep engulfed her.  
  
FINIS!!!  
  
I know that's not what you may have hoped to find, but the part where they actually marry is already in work!... whispers... it's going to be a celebration of pure shippiness!! Hehehe... 


	7. What a day

Summary: They get married!!! Category: Humor, Romance, Series Season: future Season Pairing: Jack/Sam Rating: PG Warnings: none Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).  
  
Author's notes:  
Alright, before you start reading the last part of this series, I have to say thanks for all the great, encouraging reviews from you!! Would have never thought that I was going to write seven parts (seven, right??) You are great and I hope to be able to read more of your reviews to my stories in the future!!  
  
Wanne say thanks to Susan for the great beta-job! Hugs go also to Sandra who helped me big time!

/()/()/()/()/()/  
"How do I look guys?"  
Daniel looked up and watched Jack standing in the doorway of the living room... or better bouncing up and down in the doorway of the living room.  
  
A huge grin covered the better part of his freshly shaved face and something like a gleam shimmered in his (very) happy eyes... Daniel hadn't seen Jack in such mood for a long, long time. And he was really glad his friend had finally found his old spirit... was about time he'd stopped whining about being old!  
  
Daniel smiled briefly, before allowing his gaze to wander over Jack's form.  
  
Jack was wearing a plain black suit and a white shirt with a black tie. The dark polished shoes reflected the light of the morning sun. It was always amazing to see what a good military training could make out of dull black leather.  
  
"Great, Jack. You look really good."  
"Indeed. Colonel Carter is most fortunate to marry you, O'Neill."  
  
Jack grinned cheekily and turned, making his way back to his bedroom. Daniel listened for while as Jack rummaged through several drawers, obviously searching for something, before he had enough and re-assumed his task of un-knotting the bundle of cloth (formally called tie), that was currently suffocating him.  
  
"May I be of assistance Daniel Jackson?" "Sure Teal'c... I guess I'll never learn how to tie those things properly."  
  
Teal'c raised an eyebrow and practically yanked it off from around Daniel's neck. Making a face, the younger man rubbed the back of his neck and watched Teal'c straightening the silky material.  
  
It was then, that Daniel heard something from outside Jack's house. Frowning, he got up from the armchair and walked over to the front door of the house. He was just about to open it when somebody knocked sharply, making Daniel jump... gating to unknown planets and facing aliens on an everyday-basis wasn't exactly the best way to lose one's fear of strangers.  
  
With a swift movement of Daniel's hand, the door flew open. "Um, hi... ."  
  
To his surprise, Daniel was facing a man, a woman (both in their early forties) and two kids (a boy and his older sister). The two youngsters had obviously just stopped short of attacking each other and their mother (she had to be their mother, 'cause Daniel was sure no other woman could look 'that' way and still stay calm) was glaring down at them, making even Daniel flinch.  
  
"Hi, my name's Mark Carter and I thought my sister Samantha Carter is living here, but as I can see you're not Sam..." He was in the process of turning when Daniel stepped out on the front porch to prevent the man from leaving.  
  
"Wait... Sam Carter 'is' actually living here, but she's not here right now... my name's Daniel Jackson, I'm one of her friends and a colleague." "Oh." The other man smiled and extended his hand towards Daniel, who shook it immediately.  
  
"I'm sorry that I just turned up, but the hotel we checked in burned down this morning and we didn't know where else to go. Unfortunately I couldn't find the phone number of Sam's new residence and so we had no other choice but to just drive to this address and hope she'd be here."  
  
Daniel frowned.  
Had to be a gene that made the Carter family members talk with such a speed! Maybe he would ask Janet about his theory...  
  
"Sure, no problem. Just come in and I'll get Jack... Sam's fiance." He could swear a dark shadow hushed through Mark's eyes... very strange!  
  
Daniel opened the door further, to allow the four people to enter the house fully and closed it behind them. The two kids were standing beside each other, watching him expectantly with their huge eyes.  
  
Definitely a Carter-family-thing.  
  
"Jack? Sam's brother's here!"  
Suddenly something fell and hit something that obviously hurt a lot... considering the fact that Jack started swearing...  
  
"Shit!... God, bloody hell... I'm coming Daniel, just a sec!" The archaeologist bit his lower lip and watched his toes curling up in his grey socks... the silence that surrounded the group in the corridor was thick and very uncomfortable.  
  
When he heard somebody stumbling down the stairs, Daniel sighed inwardly with relief. "Hey... sorry, I let you wait, but I had some...uh, problems."  
  
"Don't worry... my name's Mark Carter and this is my wife Kate, my daughter Michelle and my son Brian." They smiled warmly in Jack's direction, before the two kids started throwing death-glares at each other again.  
  
"Nice to finally meet you Colonel."  
"Jack."  
  
"Yeah, Jack... I'm afraid I don't know as much about you as I'd like to." Jack cleared his throat soundly and his eyebrows ceased slightly as he tried desperately to find a way out of this more than embarrassing situation.  
  
"I know this whole getting-married-thing appears a bit rushed, but I assure you, Sam's the woman I've been searching for my whole life. I love her and if you give me a chance I'll show you that I'm worth your trust."  
  
Silence.  
Daniel's eyes flickered nervously back and forth between the two men.  
  
"I never said I don't like you... I do. But I don't know anything about you! Alright, Sam told me she's loved you for a very long time and that the two of you couldn't risk a relationship, thanks to some stupid military regulations, but I still don't know your full name, what you did for a living before you joined 'Deep Space Radar Whatever'... let's just say, that Sam has been very vague about you."  
  
"My full name is Jonathan Michael O'Neill and I've been a soldier in the service of this country for more years than I'm willing to admit."  
  
Mark grinned and offered Jack his hand. Jack noticed the similarity about his and Sam's smile and took the other man's hand eagerly.  
  
"Nice to get to know my soon-to-be-brother-in-law." "Same here."  
  
"O'Neill. Colonel Carter has called you on your mobile phone." Jack frowned and shared a look with Daniel, before excusing himself and running down the corridor to where Teal'c was standing with a cell phone in his hand.  
  
"Sam?"  
  
Daniel strained his ears to grasp something that was being spoken, but unfortunately he could barely hear Jack's part of the conversation and didn't quite get what this was all about. He shook his head in defeat and eyed Sam's brother standing quietly beside him, trying not to look like he was eavesdropping.  
  
Another Carter-family-thing. Neither Sam nor her brother were able to pretend not to be listening. Which was in Daniel's opinion really amusing. Not able to prevent it from happening, he started snickering.  
  
"It's alright Sam... Yeah, they're fine, stop worrying Colonel, that's an order!... Love ya, too... I don't think so Ma'am... Ok, bye." With that, Jack hung up and smiled down at the cell phone grasped tightly in his hand.  
  
"Um, Jack? What did she want?" "She just heard about the hotel and that most guests had already checked into other hotels. She didn't know what happened to you Mark and couldn't reach you on your mobile, so she called me to get me to find ya."  
  
"Yeah, about that...it would be really nice if you could show us another hotel where we could stay for the next few days."  
"I guess that's not an option. Sam and I think that it would be the best that you and your family just stay here... You can have the guest room and our bedroom...should work for the time being."  
  
Mark turned to where his wife was waiting patiently with her two kids and shared a knowing smile with her.  
  
"Thank you, we really appreciate this." Daniel grinned, glad Jack's first encounter with the last important Carter family member had gone so well. The young man knew just too well what an ass Jack could be at times...especially when it came to meeting new people. As if he hadn't had his own fair share with his special moods!  
"So Mark... there are some tiny little things about Sam I'd 'really' love to know..."

Oh boy...

/()/()/()/()/  
'Oh no, Janet! Don't even think about it!... Dammit!' Sam watched helplessly as her best friend stood in front of her in her pale pink dress and that lovely little rose grasped tightly in her folded hands... with which she was currently covering her quivering lips.  
  
She was crying... and just wouldn't stop! 'Like some waterfall', Sam thought not really happy with Janet's overflowing eyes...  
  
And that Cassandra was standing beside her mother with the same beautiful dress, and with the same little rose and with the same state of smudged make-up was 'so' not helping to prevent Sam's own tears of joy from cascading down her face.  
  
But she had to be strong... another session with Miss 'Your-eyelashes-could-never-get-enough-mascara' was not going to happen! She was a soldier and not some wimpy woman!  
  
"Oh God... ." Um, it's the will that counts after all... right? Janet handed Sam a fresh Kleenex and used her own one to catch the falling tears before they had to chance to wash away the carefully applied make-up.  
  
"You look so beautiful Sam... I swear, Jack'll get a heart attack when he sees you." Cassy really knew how to make Sam cry even harder!  
  
It was then, that Janet took a look at her watch. "Oh God... another ten minutes and the limo arrives to pick us up!"  
  
She had to breathe... Sam really had to breathe! Right now, or she'd be unconscious and suffocate. The mere thought of her lying in her wedding dress in Janet's bedroom made her gasp for air. The problem was, that with the oxygen her brain was again able to think... and that was so not a good!  
  
"Janet, I can't do this... I sure as hell will say something wrong... or I'll stumble and hit my head and then I'll have a huge bump there. Or I forget the vows... and what if... ."  
  
"Colonel Samantha Carter, shut up and breathe!" The commanding tone in Janet's voice had the desired effect, forcing Sam's mouth shut and making her straighten.  
  
"That's my good little soldier... so and now we get downstairs and wait for our taxi." Sam (not entirely trusting the nagging voice inside her head to keep silent), merely nodded her head and followed Janet and Cassie downstairs.  
  
They had barely reached the bottom of the stairs when they heard a car pull up in the driveway. She was not going to run away screaming...  
  
Cassie's hand appeared on Sam's bare arm and squeezed it reassuringly. When Sam gazed into the young woman's eyes, she could see the happiness shine brightly in them. It made her smile and nearly forget her first instinct to get the hell outta there...  
  
"Sam, you might be a tough, brainy soldier, but I don't suppose you'd get far with this dress. Believe me when I tell ya, this thing you're wearing hasn't been created to run a marathon with or why do you think did they make it tight and uncomfortable?"  
  
A cheeky grin spread out over Janet's face at hearing Cassie's theory on the 'wedding-dress-  
problem', as the three woman had called their more than unnerving Odyssee through various shops in order to find the 'perfect' wedding dress.  
  
"Ya know, I could rip it apart and 'then' run off." "And that after you've paid a small fortune for your wedding, huh?"  
  
Sam shook her head in defeat and made her way to the now open front door, where Janet was already waiting for her and Cassie.  
  
"Janet?"  
"Yeah, Sam?"  
  
"I have a really bad feeling about this..."

/()/()/()/()/  
"Where the hell is my daughter?"  
Jacob stood in the middle of the crowd of invited guests in that small church in the periphery of Colorado Springs. It was really nice here.  
  
No traffic noises, not too many people living around the church, a lot of green forest surrounding the building (Jack may have voiced his disapproval once... or twice...) and the interior was of such a simplicity that it could be called romantic.  
  
"And where the hell is Jack?"  
Again nobody bothered to give him an answer and just kept on staring at him.  
  
"I'm already here Jake... stop frightening the people." "God bless you're here, I thought something happened."  
  
Jacob pulled a handkerchief out of his jacket and dabbed his forehead... no matter how practical a symbiote was in everyone's eyes, Selmak was no use when it came to the wedding stress of a father.  
  
"How are the snake...I mean our guests from,um, abroad doing?" "Fine. I explained them the whole procedure and told them not to engage in any earth-related conversations or if nothing helps, they start talking in some language nobody except for Daniel will understand... if anybody asks, they're from some tiny little village in South Africa."  
  
Jack didn't even try to find a smart-ass reply and just nodded.  
  
"Hey, Dad, has been some time, huh?"  
Startled, Jacob turned around to find his son standing behind him, hands jammed into his trouser pockets and an almost shy smile covering his lips. It had been some years since the two men had met and a certain distance was obviously still there between them.  
  
"Yeah... how are you doing Mark?"  
"Great, Brian and Michelle asked for their grandpa, but unfortunately not even Sam knew where you've been."  
  
Jacob winced inwardly and looked away.  
This was so not the time for wildly explained where-have-I-been-and-why and unresolved-father/son-issues... definitely not!  
  
"Um, ladies and gentlemen. It's time to get inside. So would you please take your seats?" Daniel smiled gently and clasped his hands tightly together... this wedding was very stressful and nothing for raw nerves... actually, now that he thought about it, a wedding was absolutely nothing for him. His job brought enough stress and action with it and he didn't need extra problems when he was on earth...  
  
The mass of people made their way into the church, sitting down on their assigned chairs. Jack slowly walked up the aisle and finally came face to face with a broadly grinning Daniel Jackson. Behind him, Teal'c bowed his head in a friendly manner towards Jack and smiled.  
  
It was time to get it over with... all that was currently missing, was Sam. And if everything went according to plan, he and his love should be married in approximately one hour.  
  
Behind his back, Jack crossed his fingers. Just to be on the safe site...

/()/()/()/()/  
"Tell me this is not happening."  
Janet did her best to bite back the remark that was burning a hole into her tongue.  
  
"Sam, I gotta get out and see what I can do." Without waiting for Sam's reaction, Janet opened the car door and climbed out of the limo, trying to keep her dress from touching the dirty street. When she had finally managed to get up, she bent down and mustered a brave smile for Sam.  
  
"I hope nothing bad happened to the guy there." Cassie craned her neck to get a better view of the scene the three women had been forced to witness when the limo had crossed the street some moments ago.  
  
Apparently a biker had tried to overtake a car and crashed into its side. The limo driver had immediately stopped in the middle of the street, knowing that he was obliged to help in such a situation... and maybe he had known that Janet was a Doctor in the US Air Force.  
  
Dammit!  
  
"I don't think the guy is injured... he's probably too stupid to even have a scratch. I mean, who the hell tries to overtake a car in a turn? I should get out and beat the crap outta that moron..." "Sam, I call Jack and let 'em know why we haven't arrived yet, alright?"  
  
Sam just nodded, hoping to prevent the swear words in her head from reaching her mouth before her brain had given its consent for their usage.  
  
"Jack... this is Cassie..."

/()/()/()/  
"What!" Daniel watched Jack incredulously, brows furrowed as he tried to get the meaning of what Sam was saying on the other end. This was becoming a bad habit...  
  
"Yeah, I hope so too... How's Sam?... Could you give her the cell? But make sure no weapons, stones or inflammable stuff is in her close proximity... alright, thanks Cass, see ya soon..."  
  
For a second, the church was bathed in silence and Daniel swore he could have heard a cricket if one had been there.  
  
"Hey honey, are you OK?... I know Sam and it's alright, really... Stop worrying, this can't be a bad omen... I know, I love you too Sam... now stop swearing, today you're a bride and not a soldier... take care, bye."  
  
Jack handed Daniel his mobile phone and closed his eyes for a moment, his hand sweeping over his strained features... he had known that something like 'that' would happen today, he so had known it!  
  
"There has been an accident on the street that leads to the church and Janet had to help some stupid biker. I guess they should be here in maybe thirty minutes, when everything goes according to plan and Sam doesn't kill the guy for pulling such a stunt on her wedding day."  
  
A chuckle went through the rows of waiting people and Jacob walked up to where the 'special' guests were sitting, isolated from the rest of Sam's and Jack's friends... you could never know with those Tok'ra. They were a really strange folk.  
  
"Is she alright, Jack?"  
"Sam's really upset, but it's nothing she can't handle... she's after all trained to survive such or better similar situations."  
  
Jack smiled genuinely and Daniel couldn't help but do likewise, now re-assured that Sam wasn't about to rip the wedding dress apart and mutate to she-Hulk's substitute...

/()/()/()/()/  
"She's here!"  
Cassie called around the corner of the entrance, before vanishing behind the frame and running back to where her mother and Sam were standing.  
  
Jacob smiled happily and made his way to where Cassie had just been standing. He was so looking forward to leading his daughter to the altar and hand her over to his soon-to-be-son-in-law.  
  
For a second, Jack watched Jacob walk away from him, but suddenly he had the overwhelming need to take a good look at his shoes. Why the hell was he so nervous? It wasn't his first wedding after all!  
  
He was experienced, for crying out loud!  
  
The organ music started and Jack inhaled deeply, hoping to swallow the lump in his throat... he had to be able to say 'yes' without a raspy voice.  
  
A murmur started in the back rows and expanded towards the altar where Jack and his best friends were standing, having seen nothing of Sam yet. When Jack looked finally up, he noticed Mark's daughter walking up the red carpet towards him, her hands scattering rose blossoms all over the floor. She was grinning wildly and finally took position in the front row beside her father.  
  
Then the music changed, the typical wedding tunes echoing throughout the building. Now he had reached the point he had dreamt about for so long.  
  
The first thing he saw of her was her head as she rounded the corner, her Dad having hooked her arm with his and leading the way through the rows of occupied benches. Her blond hair shimmered in the light that entered the church's inner through the multicolored glass windows. White little flowers held the strands of hair in place and a single rose was just above her left ear.  
  
As Jack watched her approach him slowly, he noticed her bright smile and the glistening eyes that looked directly at him.  
  
His heart started beating faster than when he was being chased by a Goa'uld over some planet... he wondered whether he would have a heart attack if it kept the speed up. Well, whatever, at least he'd die with a huge smile on his face.  
  
By now, Sam was merely ten feet away and for the first time, Jack was able to give her a once over and admire the dress she had decided to wear.  
  
Jack was sure he could actually hear it scream 'Sam'. It was white and the silky material was dotted with uncountable little white roses. The garment reached from her decolletage down to the bottom of her feet, where it ended in a small train. The dress was held in place by two thin spaghetti straps, which appeared to cross between her shoulder blades.  
  
In Jack's eyes she looked like an angel.  
  
"Hey."  
"Hey."  
Why in God's name did his legs feel like Jello?  
  
Somebody cleared his throat and with surprise, Jack and Sam turned to where it had come from... right, Jack knew he had forgotten something shortly after Sam had entered the church... the Minister .  
  
What happened after the man in black had made himself noticed, was still a blur to Jack. He could remember hearing him talk about true love and future and something with flowers and God (well, at least he got the basics...), but he was so lost in Sam's shimmering bright blue eyes that he even nearly missed the part where he had to declare his undying love and say yes... but just nearly!  
  
He had put a great deal of work into finding the right words to describe his feelings towards Sam and had realized in the end, that there weren't enough words to accomplish this mission without lying.  
  
He had told Sam that and the result had been a waterfall of tears that had cascaded down her cheeks at hearing it. She had leant forward and had captured his lips in a sweet kiss as reward... if this was torture, he would be happy to get strapped down...  
  
"I, Samantha Elizabeth Carter, take you, Jonathan Michael O'Neill, to be my lawfully wedded husband."  
  
"By the power vested in me by the state of Colorado..." (When had they reached 'that' part of the wedding and why had nobody told him?),"... I now pronounce you husband and wife."  
  
Jack's throat appeared to be sealed, because he had real problems getting air into his lungs...  
  
"You may now kiss the bride."  
Alright, that was something Jack could do without having to think or breathe.  
  
With a wide smile, he moved to where Sam was standing beside him. Her lips wore a million dollar smile and her eyes seemed to sparkle even more than before. Slowly his lips descended upon hers and a mere second after their lips were touching, his brain stopped functioning and he was finally in heaven.

/()/()/()/()/  
'Not again'  
Sam watched with a bemused grin her best friend crying her eyes out. Janet just couldn't help herself and kept on weeping even as Sam and Jack left the church and entered the limo.  
  
The petite Doctor helped Sam to gather the dress and stuff it inside the car (still in tears) and stepped back to give the limo some room to drive off.  
  
Jack and Sam opened the dark window and waved their goodbyes to the guests standing outside the church. Sam's father and her brother stood side-by-side, Jacob's hand resting on his son's shoulder.  
  
Daniel had decided that enough was enough and walked up to Janet, taking her in his arms and letting her cry against his chest. He allowed his chin to fall onto her head and sighed audibly, his eyes following the leaving limo in which his two best friends were sitting, driving home to get ready for their honeymoon.  
  
He just hoped that no aliens had planned to attack earth in the next few weeks. Otherwise they would have to put up with the wrath of one moody Colonel Sam O'Neill... Sam O'Neill... he definitely had to get used to that.  
  
He sighed again and squeezed Janet tighter against his body.  
  
"I'm goin' to marry!"  
Startled Daniel turned his head towards the voice.  
  
Cassie was standing beside him and her mother, a bouquet of lillies and roses grasped tightly in her hands and a cheeky grin plastered on her lips as she watched Janet and Daniel with amused eyes.  
Uh oh...  
  
FINIS!!!  
  
Now what did you think about it? I know you wanne tell me your opinion! Go and write some lines, makes ya feel better!


End file.
